Question

Explain how and why governments may want to regulate the price setting of a natural monopoly.

Answer 1

AS natural monopoly could be like emeralds from Colombia say or softwood from British Columbia, Canada whereby there are few competitors that have the product. The government may want to regulate the price of such goods such that it can't be accused of flooding the market on the world market (ie not too low a price) and this could be regulated by trade agreements like NAFTA or may limit the upper price limit to allow more purchasers to buy the product. Personally it is felt that so-called 'free-trade' agreements interfere far too much in the economies of member countries especially junior partners as they encourage the influx of cheap goods from other countries, thus putting out of business or lowering standards for good production within the country and also violating the laws of the country by provisions which overrule the laws normally used to protect goods from the country like import duties for example.