> ... monopolize their territories by either eliminating or merging with ...
The elimination part of that is important though. If companies were allowed to round up a group of the boys and go break some kneecaps when the boss didn't like something then it is true there won't be a lot of competition.
But in civilised country that isn't an option. Nobody wants that level of deregulation - basic policing of physical safety is something of a given. People are somewhat protected by law in their attempts to compete.
Companies eliminate each other all the time. Maybe--and I only say maybe--physical assault of executives is not an option.
But companies do things like dump product to drive a competitor bankrupt, and then raise their prices back up. After that happens a few times, people get the message that there is no money to be made competing with them.
Or they play patent games and litigate the competition either out of business, or strongarm them into joining a patent cartel.
The tools may be different, but without specific anti-monopoly and anti-cartel regulation that is enforced aggressively, companies will ruthlessly drive markets towards monopolies or cartels.
The elimination part of that is important though. If companies were allowed to round up a group of the boys and go break some kneecaps when the boss didn't like something then it is true there won't be a lot of competition.
But in civilised country that isn't an option. Nobody wants that level of deregulation - basic policing of physical safety is something of a given. People are somewhat protected by law in their attempts to compete.