TITLE:
Say Can You See?
VALIDITY:
capitalism, no autarky, internet
DESCRIPTION:
It looks like your PA has added you to the "Boss Office" WotsOn group, and now your phone won't stop chiming. Before you silence notifications though, you can't help but notice that there appears to be a heated discussion around the high price of spectacles.
OPTION 1
"Rabe-Ann, Oakleech, Vague Eyewear... all these supposedly competing brands are owned by the Laxativottica conglomerate," complains your PA to the group. "Vertical integration and aggressive takeovers have left a handful of companies controlling eyewear manufacturing and retail, with the net result of 1000% mark-ups for consumers. This isn't a monopoly, strictly speaking, but an interdependent oligopoly. Antitrust agencies need more power to break up companies, to regulate and control mergers, to punish predatory pricing, and to maximise fair competition rather than purely focusing on monopolies. This isn't just specs, though, this is a sickness through the whole system! Don't you agree, @@LEADER@@? You're reading this right?"
OUTCOME:
lemonade stands that advertise they grew their own lemons are investigated by Monopolies and Mergers Commissioners
OPTION 2
"Look, @@LEADER@@ doesn't want to hear your big government claptrap," suggests another of your office juniors, who you recall keeps telling you about @@HIS@@ cousin's ethical organic woven-hemp company. "Rather than over-regulate, maybe we just need to help competitors get a foothold on the market Provide subisidies and government-sponsored promotion to any small companies who can show they're entering a marketplace that needs more competition, and we can start to break up megacorporate power. I mean, I hear that you can make pretty good glasses now out of locally sourced hemp twine. Let's think outside the box. Just saying."
OUTCOME:
hipster ministers read indie comics and drink artisanal coffee
OPTION 3 - NHS required
"Actually, the best way to deflate a market is to knock the bottom out of it," adds your Minister of Health, who is working from home today with a headache. "Have the state manufacture basic prescription spectacles, and distribute them through the national health service. Fashion-chasers and poseurs can still buy expensive brands if they want, but nobody will be forced to buy expensive lenses."
OUTCOME:
NHS spectacle frames come in three colours: beige, ochre and milk coffee
OPTION 4
"Hi there, @@LEADER@@, looks like you're talking about antitrust legislation! Let me help with that!" interjects Ploppy, the helpful App Assistant animation that's recently been added to WotsOn. "Did you know that high profit margins are good for the economy? "Big profits make for big companies, which drives employment, finances innovation and investment! Evidence shows that when you give tax breaks to the biggest companies, you let them grow bigger and stronger, and they bring more wealth to your nation! Only a really bad president could disagree, and we've banned him from all our platforms! Here's a great Insta-message video that explains this! I've also added you to a MyFace group on Laissez-Faire Capitalism, and added Marcus Sugarmountain to your exclusive contacts! Now enjoy these advertising messages, chosen specially for you! Because We Care (TM)!"
OUTCOME:
Big Brother is watching you (and selling your data metrics to Big Sister, Big Uncle and Big Auntie)
