ton Sinclair even wrote a novel about them entitled The Octopus to depict the menacing arms of the monopolies that sought to destroy competition (Nader and Love 2). The anti-trust and anti-monopolistic laws that resulted from that era served to protect capitalism and the free market economy. Monopolies represent the antithesis of the ideals found within a capitalistic and free market economy. The economic destructiveness of monopolies in our own times can be seen through the recent fall of the communist regimes who practiced government controlled monopolies that led to the economic turmoil and decline in their countries. It would be a wise lesson to take heed of the lessons of past and present monopolies to stop the takeover of access to the Internet which Microsoft is seeking to do. It seeks to achieve this control by bundling its browser into its operating system which already controls 90% of the worlds’ market. The ubiquitous nature of Microsoft in our everyday computing lives is seemingly subconscious, yet when we realize the broad influence of this computer giant upon our life it becomes a frightening possibility. Thoughts of Orwellian “Big Brother” comes to mind at times. The question of whether Microsoft has a monopoly over the computer industry is a resounding yes. It is a near virtual monopoly in the computer industry. The question thus becomes not whether Microsoft is a monopoly, but why it has taken so long for the government to intercede into the affairs that would regulate this ever growing computer giant. It would be wise to follow the lesson of Jack who cut down the beanstalk in a fable that has all too real applications in our modern-day computerized world. BibliographyGleick, James. “MAKING MICROSOFT SAFE FOR CAPITALISM” The New York Times Magazine. William Morris Agency, May 18, 1995.Nader, Ralph and Love, James. “What to Do About Microsoft?” LE MONDE DIPLOMATIQUE,...
