• zephyreks@lemmy.ml
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    15 days ago

    A monopoly is not inherently bad. A monopoly removes the incentive for pricing pressure, yes, but that requires consolidation in a single company, not a single country. China’s only been able to sell EVs so cheap because every company that couldn’t drive prices this low got blown the fuck out of the market. That’s competition, not a monopoly. By extension, if EV prices go back up, those competitors can pretty easily restart given the billions of venture funding swimming around in China.

    • Guydht@lemmy.world
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      15 days ago

      A monopoly isn’t inherently bad, but a monopoly by a state is pretty bad. It means they can exert political pressure over you using that sector’s influence.

      Heck, look at Russia and gas. It impacted tons of people all over the world, and if the world hadn’t collectively said “fuck you Russia we’ll handle ourselves without you” - then countries like Germany wouldn’t have a choice but keep buying Russian Gas.

      That’s a political power you really don’t wanna give to anyone, especially not China.

      Yes, competition could restart, but that’d take time. And you don’t always have that time. Again, see Russia and gas as a nice example for that.

      • zephyreks@lemmy.ml
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        15 days ago

        Sure, I agree, but your claim hinges on the fact that the Chinese EV market lacks competition (like, say, Russia with Gazprom and nobody else).

        That’s easily disprovable.