Русско-англо-русский юридический словарь

A natural monopoly is a monopoly in an industry in which it is most efficient (involving the lowest long-run average cost) for production to be concentrated in a single firm. This market situation gives the largest supplier in an industry, often the first supplier in a market, an overwhelming cost advantage over other actual and potential competitors, so a natural monopoly situation generally leads to an actual monopoly. (Wikipedia)

"It may be that the supermarkets are increasingly able to exploit their monopoly position and raise prices even when consumer spending is not especially robust," said the report. (BBC News)

The software giant Microsoft has issued a broadside against US government charges that it abused a monopoly position. (BBC News)

After the War of Independence, Americans were highly suspicious of any one person, king or president, having a monopoly of power. Power therefore had to be devolved to other people and also checked by additional elected bodies. In the USA this is referred to as “checks and balances”. (bbc.co.uk)