How Do Libertarians Deal With Monopiles

[u/OkPreparation710]

In wake of the Presidential Election, I have been reading and learning more about alternative ideologies. Libertarianism - particularly Minarchy - has stood out the most to me, but I cannot fathom how monopiles are dealt with. I understand that some people say that if the market is free with no regulations, then there can only ever be a monopoly by having such a good product, but what is there to stop business owners bribing smaller businesses to sell their business to them. For example, if Company A is the largest company in a sector. Then you have many smaller companies. What is stopping the owner of Company A from bribing the owners of all the smaller companies to sell their companies to Company A? Company A could then acquire all the competitors in the market, and hence a monopoly is created.

Sorry if this is naïve, but I just cannot wrap my head around it.

Thanks!

Edit: I just realised I spelt monopolies as monopiles, but I cannot change the title

Edit 2: Thank you for your help everyone, I understand now and the example of Thames Water in London has definitely reinforced the rest of your comments about monopolies being propped up by the Government most of the time

[u/iggybdawg]

No government bail outs when "too big to fail" companies are crumbling under their own weight, or suffering consequences from their poor business choices.

[u/ItsWorfingTime → u/iggybdawg]

So the top voted libertarian answer is "We don't unless they fail"?

[u/marfalump → u/ItsWorfingTime]

They DO fail if you don’t give them tax breaks and subsidies and grants and special treatment. And, if they don’t fail, it means they are providing a service people need, at a proper price.

Big companies don’t last forever. Sears was once America’s biggest retailer. Now they are bankrupt.

Here’s a list of some of companies listed on the DOW in the 1930s…

• Victor Talking Machine
• National Cash Register
• Wright Aeronautical
• North American Manville Corporation
• American Brands (American Tobacco B)
  
• Eastman Kodak
• American Sugar Borden
• Atlantic Refining
• Hudson Motor
• General Railway Signal
• Goodrich
• Nash Kelvinator (Nash Motors)
• Liggett & Myers

How many are still around today? Large companies don’t usually last unless the goverment helps them out.