Monopoly 壟斷

Sam Lee
Sam Lee
Jul 24, 2017 · 2 min read

“Monopoly” is a word frequently used by everyone. Whenever a firm or an entity is big and that consumers or competitors do not like it, it may be referred to as a monopolist.

A simple search on the Apple Daily, the local tabloid, found the the word monopolise or its variants (壟斷 in Chinese) are frequently used. On 19 July, big publishers was criticised to “monopolising” the Book Fair in recent years, as they turned it into a venue for the clearance of their outdated books. On 12 July, Facebook and Google were described as “nearly monopolising” the online media advertising market. On 6 July, an economist’s commentary criticised that many industries in Hong Kong were monopolised by conglomerates. [note: linked articles are in Chinese]

It is just too nature and convenient to accuse a big firm to “monopolise” the market. However, whether a firm is a monopolist or not needs more than subjective feeling but objective reasoning.

According to Oxford dictionary, “monopoly” means -

(1)(a) sole right to supply or trade in some commodity or service; (1)(b) commodity or service controlled in this way; (2) sole possession or control of sth”.

while “monopolist” means -

“person who has a monopoly”

To make it simple, a monopolist is the only one.

When we studying economics, we only refer the situation that the whole market has only one firm as a monopoly. When there are more than one firm with one very big but others very small, we usually refer the situation as “monopolistic competition”, as there is some competition thought not perfect. When there are several firms having size similar to each other, we refer that as “oligopoly”.

When the above definition is used, it is hard to see how big publishers could monopolise the Book Fair, when there are so many big and small publishers taking part in the event. It is also hard to understand why Facebook and Google were accused of “monopolisation” when there are two of them. For the situation of Hong Kong, while it is true that many industries could only accommodate a small number of firms due to the small size of our economy. However, it appears to be jump to the conclusion, when making such a general conclusion that many industries were “monopolised”, before more concrete evidence is provided.

Then, what Hong Kong people are referring when they accuse a firm to “monopolise” something? I believe they mean that the firm takes advantage of its market power to do things that were not the most desirable to them as consumers or competitors. That’s all.

You may have a question on whether the discussion was too academic? Well, I would say that, a proper definition on stuffs we discuss is important.


「壟斷」一詞人人用、常常用。任何時候,當一家公司或一個機構龐大,而消費者或它的競爭對手不喜歡,被批為「壟斷」似乎避免不了。

隨便搜尋一下蘋果日報,便找到「壟斷」一詞的使用密度。七月十九日, 該報報導批評指「書展已被大書商壟斷,成為散貨場」。七月十二日,該報報導 Facebook 及Google 「幾乎壟斷網絡媒體廣告市場」。七月六日,該報刊登一經濟學家的評論,指「香港各行各業繼續由財團壟斷和操控」。

大企業被指控「壟斷」好像很順理成章,但是,一家公司是否壟斷不能以主觀感覺判斷,必須基於客觀的理據。

根據牛津字典,monopoly 的解釋是 -

“(1)(a) 專賣(權);專利(權) (1)(b) 專賣品/專營服務; (2) 獨佔;控制”.

而monopolist則是 -

“有專賣或專利權的人;專賣或專營者”

簡單而言,壟斷就是「唯一」。

在經濟學中,只有當整個市場只有一家公司時,該公司才會被稱「獨佔」。如市場中有多於一家公司,而其中一家非常龐大,其餘則非常細少,此種情況稱為 「壟斷性競爭」,因為競爭儘管不完全但仍然存在。至於市場中有幾家實力差不多的公司,則稱為「寡頭壟斷」。

按此定義而論,當大大小小的書商都參與書展,大書商又如何「壟斷」書展?至於對Facebook 和 Google的指控也一樣:他們是兩家公司呀。談到香港的情況,因為香港屬細小的經濟體系,很多行為只能容納少數公司競爭,但在未有證據前下一個結論指很多行業被「壟斷」,是否又算結論先行呢?

那麼,香港人所指的「壟斷」其實是什麼?我相信他們所指的,其實是大公司利用他們的「市場力量」,做一些不討好市民的事而已。

如此討論是不是太學術?名不正言不順矣。定義很重要的啊。

AllAboutMoney

AllaboutMoney aims at talking about public finance in Hong Kong, including the discussion of government income and expenditure, fiscal surplus and deficits in Hong Kong. Interesting stuffs about economics will also be discussed from time to time.

Sam Lee

Written by

Sam Lee

Hongkonger. Just want to write for self-enjoyment. 香港人,寫作自娛。

AllAboutMoney

AllaboutMoney aims at talking about public finance in Hong Kong, including the discussion of government income and expenditure, fiscal surplus and deficits in Hong Kong. Interesting stuffs about economics will also be discussed from time to time.

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