Re:Amazon Has Gone from Neutral Platform to Cutthroat Compet...
by dredmorbius on Thursday April 25, 2019 @07:09PM
(#19753378)
There's a busines model for high-fixed, zero-marginal cost economic public goods. It's taxes.
The alternatives have all been found wanting: "intellectual property" (copyright and patents), patronage, religious commissions, advertising.
Busking, performance, physical media sales, merch, loss-leaders, widget-frosting, service/support, and shingle-posting all bypass the HFZMC problem by monetising some alternative good, product, or service.
Several of those specifically tie network-effect, rent-generating monopolies with FCZMC goods. Taxes socialise this process.
What to tax is the next question. Adam Smith preferred wealth and land (means of production).
The alternatives have all been found wanting: "intellectual property" (copyright and patents), patronage, religious commissions, advertising.
Busking, performance, physical media sales, merch, loss-leaders, widget-frosting, service/support, and shingle-posting all bypass the HFZMC problem by monetising some alternative good, product, or service.
Several of those specifically tie network-effect, rent-generating monopolies with FCZMC goods. Taxes socialise this process.
What to tax is the next question. Adam Smith preferred wealth and land (means of production).
https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Wealth_of_Nations/Book_V/...