An Introduction to AT&T Long-Distance Monopoly Essay

ATT Long-distance MonopolyIs a monopoly a good thing? From the standpoint of economists, monopolies are anything but good. Economists believe that the perfect economy would be one that has many competitors with significantly low barriers to entry. Such an economy would greatly benefit the consumer due to the lower prices of the products. From a businessmans standpoint though, a monopoly is not so bad. The biggest threat to a company or firm is competition. Competition drives prices down resulting in less profit. The main goal of a businessman is to make a profit, which is hindered by competition. Generally, economists and businessmen do not see eye to eye on the subject of monopolies for this reason. The question is, is a monopoly a good thing? The answer to this question will be attempted through the outcome of this paper.Before exploring the qualities of a monopoly, it must first be defined. A monopoly is simply a market structure characterized by a single seller of a well-defined product for which there are no good substitutes and there are high barriers to entry for any other firm into the market for that product. In other words, a monopoly exists when only one firm in the market is selling a product, and entry into the market by other competitors is difficult. For this reason, a monopoly is not the best form of structure according to an economists standpoint. Can a monopoly be good? The answer to this question has been widely negotiated. In some instances, a monopoly is essential. The post office and utilities companies are two examples of when a monopoly is necessary. Some argue that the long-distance phone company, should also be a monopoly as well. ATT (American Telephone and Telegraph) is the largest telecommunications company in the United states, and a worldwide leader in communications services. It was the parent company of the Bell System until January 1, 1984. The deregulation of ATT was primarily based...

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Character Analysis of Basil Hallward in The Picture of Dorian Gray, a Novel by Oscar Wilde Essay

The main character in The Picture of Dorian Gray, Dorian, is a man too easily influenced by his surroundings. He is quoted as saying, Basil Hallward is what I think I am Lord Henry is what the world thinks me Dorian is what I would like to bein other ages, perhaps (Wilde). This comparison falls in line with the moral of the story because Dorian is stuck with eternal youth and beauty even though he has a wicked soul. This causes different views of him by people who observe his daily life. Dorian is a sponge throughout the novel that absorbs everything and allows it to shape his personality, morals, and actions. Dorian Gray takes influence from Lord Henry, Basil Hallward, and the culture of society during which the novel was written. Lord Henry is the epitome of a wealthy, hedonistic gentleman seeking only pleasure, with little regard to cost or consequence. Lord Henry Wotton outwardly propounds hedonism, but it is his extreme egotism that drives him to manipulate both Basil Hallward a
Read more

Religious Symbolism in The Blessed Damozel, a Poem by Dante Gabriel Rossetti Essay

Dante Gabriel Rossettis poem The Blessed Damozel is full of religious symbolism. There is talk of saints, and the poem itself takes place in heaven. But underneath the religious symbolism is a deep sensuality, that makes one wonder if the white rose of Marys gift referred to in line nine is the gift of Mary the Virgin, or the somewhat less virginal Mary Magdalene. While the Damozel is in heaven, her appearance in heaven, her behaviors in life, and what happens when she and her lover are reunited suggest some less than virginal dealings, yet the damozel is blessed and resides in heaven. Rossetti was the child of liberals kicked out of Italy a heavily catholic country for their extreme political views. While Rossetti himself was not political, he may have espoused similar views regarding politics and religion as his parents. In the poem The Blessed Damozel, Rossetti was given the chance to essentially create his own heaven. Most everything he wrote seems to show that Rossetti espoused
Read more

An Analysis of the Character of Chichikov in the Poem, Dead Souls by Nikolai Gogol Essay

Dead Souls takes place in the Russia of the late 1800s, where, unlike in America, one must be born into a prosperous family in order to have opportunities. The main character, Chichikov, is clever enough to develop a scheme in which he can rise from being a petty clerk to a respected landowner. In order to do this, Chichikov moves into a new town, pretending to already be a landowner, and begins a quest to buy the names of dead serfs who have not yet been officially reported dead. Each person that Chichkov presents this offer to has a different reaction, starting with the shy and introverted Manilov. Though he does not understand Chichikov's need for the names of these dead serfs, Manilov is a character that is so desperate for company that it does not take any effort to trick him into selling his dead souls cheaply. However, as Chichikov continues his journey, he starts to deal with more clever landowners who become suspicious of his scheme. Chichikov finds that the townsmen know
Read more