Where a free market exists on any significant scale, big business is bound to arise, because a market that forces businesses to remain small is not free. Of course oligopoly is not a free market; it’s a disease that afflicts free markets.

—But abusus non tollit usum; and in this case the abusus arises from the free decision of businesses and consumers to ignore alternatives. Freedom unfortunately includes the freedom to make foolish choices. As long as those alternatives remain viable, the market is doing a job that regulation has never accomplished and isn’t suited for.