EXCERPT:
LAKE CITY, Fla. (AP) - The battle for pizza supremacy has taken a wrong turn in Florida.
Two managers of a Domino's Pizza restaurant in Lake City, in north-central Florida, have been charged with burning down a rival Papa John's location. The motive? Police say one of the men admitted that he believed with his competitor out of the way, more pizza lovers would flock to his restaurant.
COMMENT: Firms in the same market always have an incentive to compete with each other for customers and profit. In a well-functioning market economy, there are laws which outlaw violent competition and police who punish anyone who breaks those laws. Without such laws, and police with sufficient power to enforce them, this kind of competition would be common. Thankfully, this kind of thing is rare.
