Got to disagree with your definition of monopoly as "somebody who can block normal competition by financial means or market position"
A monopoly is a supplier of goods in a market where there is only one supplier of goods. Or in some less strict definitions, the supplier in a market that has an overwhelming majority of the market.
Now, usually a monopolist has monopoly power where your definition comes into play. But, it is possible for a monopolist to not be able to exercise monopoly power because the goods that the monopolist sells are freely substitible.
For example, imagine you live in a small suburb with only one grocery store. That grocery store is a monopoly in your suburb, but because you can easily drive to the next suburb over and buy your groceries there, the monopolist grocery store in your suburb doesn't really have monopoly power.
p.s. I know the example is contrived by overly restricting the geographic market, but that's why it's an example.
Got to disagree with your definition of monopoly as "somebody who can block normal competition by financial means or market position" A monopoly is a supplier of goods in a market where there is only one supplier of goods. Or in some less strict definitions, the supplier in a market that has an overwhelming majority of the market. Now, usually a monopolist has monopoly power where your definition comes into play. But, it is possible for a monopolist to not be able to exercise monopoly power because the goods that the monopolist sells are freely substitible. For example, imagine you live in a small suburb with only one grocery store. That grocery store is a monopoly in your suburb, but because you can easily drive to the next suburb over and buy your groceries there, the monopolist grocery store in your suburb doesn't really have monopoly power. p.s. I know the example is contrived by overly restricting the geographic market, but that's why it's an example.