Every few months, headlines warn us about the dangers of “Big” something—Big Oil, Big Tech, Big Pharma. The narrative is familiar: powerful corporations exploit consumers, stifle innovation, and corrupt our politics. But is being big really bad?

Not necessarily. In fact, in a truly free-market system, size often reflects success—earned by serving consumers well, innovating, and creating value. In Louisiana, “Big Oil” isn’t a villain—it’s a source of thousands of well-paid jobs, billions of summers in exports, and the energy that powers America.

Let’s take a step back and look at what’s really going on.

  1. Market share isn’t market power when competition is alive and well.

Critics often point to companies with large market shares and label them monopolies. But a big market share alone doesn’t mean a company is abusing its power. It may just mean they’re doing something right.

Take Louisiana’s energy sector. The state is home to major refineries and natural gas producers. These aren’t monopolies—they’re part of a competitive global market. If they raise prices too high or lower quality, consumers and industrial buyers will turn elsewhere. The same applies to Big Tech and Big Pharma. In fact, the technology and pharmaceutical sectors are among the most competitive and dynamic in the world.

What often gets overlooked is that the real monopolies—the ones that do abuse power—are government-created. Think public utilities, cable franchises, or education monopolies. Those aren’t examples of market failure; they’re examples of government failure.

  1. Profit is not a sign of greed—it’s a signal of value.

Profit is the reward for risk and efficiency. It’s what drives entrepreneurs to build, improve, and grow. When a company earns a profit, it’s because consumers voluntarily choose its products or services. No coercion, no mandate—just choice.

That’s true of small businesses and big corporations. And it’s particularly important in sectors like energy and healthcare, where the stakes are high and the investments massive.

Consider Big Pharma. While it’s easy to criticize drug companies for making billions of dollars in profit, developing a single new medicine often costs more than $2 billion and takes over a decade. Most experimental drugs fail. When one succeeds, profits help reward the risk and fund the next wave of innovation. Without that incentive, we wouldn’t have lifesaving treatments for cancer or diabetes.

  1. Government is often the real barrier to competition and innovation.

If there’s a problem with Big Anything, it’s usually not that the company is too big—but that government policy is making it harder for smaller competitors to emerge.

In Louisiana, overregulation, licensing barriers, and political favoritism often tilt the playing field. Whether it’s burdensome permitting for new energy projects or red tape that stifles health startups, the real threat to innovation isn’t market concentration—it’s government interference.

And that’s where we need to focus. Instead of punishing successful companies for growing, we should be clearing the path for competition. That means spending less, tax reform, streamlined regulations, and a government that protects rights—not picks winners and losers.

Conclusion: Big Isn’t the Enemy—Cronyism Is

In a free-market system, the only way to become “big” is to serve people well. The problem arises when big companies collude with big government. That’s not capitalism—it’s crony corporatism. And Louisiana knows all too well how cronyism undermines prosperity.

So let’s stop demonizing size. Let’s embrace competition, empower consumers, and create an economy where businesses of all sizes can thrive—without government distortion.

Louisiana’s future depends on expanding opportunity, not shrinking success.