&gt;  starts charging monopoly prices, and buys any new competitors for 100x earnings so that it can retain a monopoly, including paying commpetitors not to enter the field at all.<p>This kind of mustache-twirling evil plan is insanely expensive. As in insta-bankruptcy expensive. Plus you&#x27;d have all kind of things backfiring, like business moving away because their rent, or their employees&#x27; rent are too expensive.<p>&gt; Now, let&#x27;s say I want to run a monopoly like that.<p>By all means, go ahead, I&#x27;ll buy your properties at the foreclosure auctions.<p>The only way you&#x27;d be able to make your evil plan work would be with the support of a government. (With someone else paying the tab.)