What if the fisherman would rather take a multi-million dollar buyout rather than fish? In a free society, the rich guy couldn't force him to sell, but if he did, no one should be able to keep him from doing it. Hey, it would sure be a lot easier on the fish in the harbor! What are you, anti-environment? ;)

The behavior described in the article shows people of means taking away money from people who are no financial threat to them because they can.

One should be careful about assigning too much real-life weight to experiments like those described in the article. It was a game, and everyone knew it. I know of no real-world examples of corporations or rich people who run around trying to financially wreck other people who are no threat or competition to them.

The leftist comforts himself endlessly with the image of the monstrous businessman who is restrained only by our brave and wise government from destroying us all (needless to say, the government does very little to discourage this view). It's a lot easier than the uncomfortable personal questions raised by the idea that wealth and success in business may have been earned by honest men with hard work, dedication, years of effort, and by providing something that people want. (--gratuitous cheap shot at liberal arts majors deleted--)

Ignored in all this is the corruption of that same government, which in real life uses its power in a mixed economy to favor some businesses over others, and tilt the whole board in favor of increased government power. Also ignored is the record of nations which have run their societies in accordance with the basic egalitarian principles of the left. But never mind that for now.

The Walmart story is cute, but like most such things, basically apocryphal. Sure, there are dozens of Web sites dedicated to the destruction of the "Big Box." And granted, Fred's Hardware Store is less than enthusiastic when a Walmart moves into town (he shows up on the web sites a lot), but looking at it simply: is it right to ask the rest of the town to take a hit in their household budgets just so Fred can stay in business? Remember, there is nothing on Earth forcing people to leave Fred and go to the new store. It's called a free choice.

Face it, people go to Walmart because they can find what they want for a low price. It's that easy. And no, Walmart does not suddenly start "predatory pricing" when they are the only major game in town. In my old home town, which has no "Big Box" stores, people actually drive thirty miles to shop in Mankato for better deals rather than shop in town. This is not uncommon. If a local Walmart got greedy, they would do the same thing. The customer is just looking for a better deal for themselves and their families, not to sacrifice themselves for some wealthy elitist who thinks the "character" of the town is suffering. Sometimes it sounds a lot like those people who fly into African villages for a day, and bemoan the fact that a lot of the natives, apparently contaminated by the Evil West, would rather be going to McDonalds than sitting around pounding roots and brushing flies off their babies for the cameras. Then, shaking their heads, they fly back home to their fancy apartments.

It's worth noting that Walmarts will hire a hell of a lot more people than Fred did, and at better wages and benefits, although I do not subscribe to the thesis that a company's worth is dictated simply by how many jobs it creates.

The contempt leftists have for "big box" stores has more to do with the general contempt they have for any large businesses than with any particular evils visited on their customers by them.

It is interesting how the left reserves a particular hatred for large corporations that tend to provide what the average American wants at a reasonable price instead of what the elite thinks the average American should be forced into buying. Walmart and McDonalds are two prominent examples. SUVs probably fall in there somewhere too.