State monopoly: species. The subject of state monopolies. State regulation of natural monopolies

In the modern world, economists consider the monopoly to be a brake on progress. According to them, it is not capable of making the monopolist modernize and improve production processes.

With this position one can not but agree, but it should be added that there are spheres of production in which it is impossible to do without a monopoly. And, if in specific sectors of the economy demonopolize the market, it promises a sharp rise in the cost of services.

How to manage a monopoly?

If you can not do without a monopoly, then the corresponding question arises about the methods and methods of controlling operations that are carried out in such a market. After all, without this, prices can grow unjustifiably, and the quality of products will decrease.

In this case, the main control of such enterprises is state regulation of monopoly. With the help of appropriate legislation, the state sets certain conditions beyond which the enterprise can not exit.

If we consider the state monopoly, then everything is not so simple. After all, who, if not the state, can with the help of its resources produce mass goods at preferential prices? Perhaps, no commercial enterprise can do this because it will lose the source of financing its production costs. In socially significant areas without state help can not do.

The concept of state monopoly

So, before you start analyzing this question, you first need to disassemble the very concept. State monopoly is a kind of imperfect competition, in which the state itself is the monopolist.

This can be due to a rather large number of factors: the protection of the weak layers of the population, the receipt of an additional source of replenishment of the budget, the policy aimed at controlling those sectors of the economy that are most interesting for the state.

In what spheres can such a state be observed?

Basically, the state monopoly of most countries is extended to the following services and goods:

- products of mass consumption;

- narcotic substances;

- alcoholic beverages;

- tobacco products;

- sale of certain goods abroad;

- minerals, etc.

In other words, a state monopoly is a tool by which the state can manage strategically important sectors of the economy for it.

Who is the subject of the state monopoly?

This definition is called an enterprise or organization, which is given the privilege of functioning in a monopolistic market.

Most often, the entity of state monopolies is an open joint-stock company controlled by the state. But it can be an organization in which there is no state stake at all. Usually, such organizations should receive certificates, licenses and other permits for carrying out activities that fall under the notion of monopoly.

What is the difference from a natural monopoly?

A natural monopoly is formed by natural means to reduce the level of costs and, consequently, to reduce the price of the goods produced or the services provided. For clarity, imagine: if each carrier wanted to build his railway station and his own railway, it would force him and include in the cost of each ticket such costs, which would lead to a significant increase in the cost of travel.

A state monopoly is formed by creating the relevant laws and regulatory framework that defines such a market, the ways and mechanisms of conducting activities on it, as well as methods of control.

Despite the fact that the market assumes the existence of only one enterprise that produces the relevant goods, natural and state monopolies have differences in the order of education, control methods, and regulation.

Absolutely all monopolists fall under the attention of specialized bodies that check their behavior on the market, the validity of the cost and quality of services, goods.

State regulation of natural monopolies is the following:

1. Identify those areas of activity in which there is a monopoly.

2. Verification, comparison, analysis and approval of prices for goods, services that are provided by a monopoly enterprise.

3. In cases of necessity, changes in the rules of operation, trade, or forced change in prices for products.

What is the difference from a natural monopoly?

If we compare the state regulation of natural monopolies with those cases where the state itself is a monopoly, then there is often a problem with the availability of commercial information on the activities of the enterprise.

If in the case of a natural monopoly the enterprise must provide information and its revenues, expenditures, profits and other financial flows, then under the state monopoly there is practically no possibility to obtain such information from the enterprise.

Monopoly, established by the state artificially, is considered closed, because no one can influence it from outside.

What are the types of state monopoly?

It can be legal and justified, and maybe artificially created for money laundering, as evidenced by the numerous facts of the persecution of ex-officials in various countries.

A monopoly on the distribution of medicinal products that contain narcotic substances is considered justified throughout the world. For example, the state monopoly in Russia for the distribution of such substances is the only sure way to protect the population from the potential harm of these funds. What would happen if everyone had access to such substances? Who would stop someone from making narcotic drugs? Given that even with a closed market in the country there are shadow channels of supply and trade, the release of narcotic substances to the legitimate market would be accompanied by a massive increase in the number of drug addicts.

It turns out that by artificially narrowing the number of participants in this market, Russia is able to achieve a relatively low level of use of various drugs for illegal purposes.

State control in some markets is a condition for the safety of the population of the country

A similar example will be the state monopoly of foreign arms trade, as well as other military devices. In the world and so enough enough dangerous conflicts both between different countries, and inside them.

In this situation, the free arms trade will simply be inappropriate - it can undermine the foundations of national security of the countries.

But not all states, creating a pure monopoly, act for good purposes. There are many examples where, by agreement, officials created a cartel or syndicate, through which various financial machinations were conducted.

How does it look like? For example, a group of deputies representing the interests of large businessmen can write and adopt a law that can create a pseudo-monopoly market in favor of their patrons. This has been done more than once in countries close to Russia.

Monopoly is a forced measure

Of course, in the conditions of perfect competition, progress in production, improvement of work processes, an increase in the quality of production against the background of a reduction in the cost of production are much faster than in a monopoly, especially state.

At the same time, the state monopoly is often used as a tool to increase loyalty to politicians. For example, unjustified price reduction for goods or services is applied. If the structure is strong, then it will be able to transfer such measures for a certain period.

In fact, such an understanding of the market is erroneous, since it leads to unprofitable enterprises. As a consequence, he will need new injections from the budget.

For example, consider enterprises that work in the oil and gas sector. This sector of the economy is the main breadwinner of the Russian Federation. Oil, gas - these are the resources that Russia supplies to foreign countries in huge quantities. The volumes are so large that if the supplies stopped, it would threaten to stop many enterprises around the world that use oil and gas as raw materials.

The seriousness of this source of income stimulates the country to the fact that it needs to exercise full control over everything that is happening on the market. And it is much easier to control one of the state enterprises or a group that operates under an agreed scheme than dozens of commercial organizations. And the presence of private structures in large numbers would not lead to an improvement in product quality.

From this we can conclude that a state monopoly in the Russian Federation is an indispensable way to exercise control in state-important sectors of the economy.