[lbo-talk] New Imperialism? Imperialism has been monopoly

[Charles Brown]

B. docile_body  

Before the 1950s, though, there were a lot of other
auto makers: Pierce-Arrow, Nash, Premier Motor
Corporation, Essex Motors [Detroit], etc. The 1950s
may have represented the culimination of US automaker
monopolization. But before that, there were definitely
more than just a 'big three.' It was a very active,
lively market within the US.

I happen to have a book in front of me that contains
alot of ads from US auto-makers from the 1940s and
prior, going back to about 1890. You'd be amazed how
many there were.

-B.

^^^^^
CB: Yea, the idea is it is a process, which means ebb and flow and a
tendency.  The idea is not a build up to some monopoly companies that last
for all times. 

In the case of auto, the initial historical process culminated in the Big
Three. Then with the rise of the Japanese and European companies to compete
with these ( for the wellknown reason of the remix of the world capitalist
economy after the intercapitalist rivalry resulted in the creative
destruction of WWII). Of course, the Japanese and European companies are
monopolies too, confirming rather than contradicting the principle of
tendency to monopolies.

And Daimler merged with Chrysler. So make that nine instead of ten, a
monopoly direction tick on the counter in all this.

As you point out, compared to its beginning, the world auto industry is
still relatively monopolized , even with the entry of new monopolies due to
other world capitalist processes.