Amazon has continued to expand into new markets and poses a long-term risk to the United States with the current rate they are growing in

“Now Amazon is seeking to become the company when you say to yourself, ‘I’m going to go buy something’ you think Amazon” —Alex Shepard

Amazon is currently in the retail, e-book and other industries. In 2017, Amazon purchased Whole Foods for 13 billion dollars. Immediately after the purchase, Amazon’s stock went up by more than 13 billion dollars. This is the opposite of what is supposed to happen, and a sign of Amazon’s shear power. This has allowed Amazon to expand into the grocery industry and a sign of what is to come. They use their size and nearly unlimited access to capital to do so. Rapidly expanding into many different markets is also a characteristic of past monopolies, such as the 19^th century railroad. Looking at Amazon’s recent moves, it seems they have a goal of having as much power possible and are constantly looking to enter new markets. These moves must be monitored and regulated by the government, and if not, there could be fatal consequences.

Shepard, Alex. “How Amazon Is Changing the Whole Concept of Monopoly.” The New Republic, 19 Jun 2017, https://newrepublic.com/article/143376/amazon-changing-whole-concept-monopoly. Accessed 11 Nov. 2017.