So do many other companies in many other countries - including utilities in the US - but the owners are not the richest people in the world. In fact, they probably don't come in the top 10.

I say that to say that having a monopoly is not a guarantee of maximum success.

In the case of a true monopoly it pretty much is.

Well tell that to the local oil monopoly in Venezuela....whose coffers are being raided to feed populist urges.