Pop Up GLOSS*arama: MONOPOLY AND DEMAND

MONOPOLY AND DEMAND: The demand for the output produced by a monopoly is THE market demand for the good. This should be compared with the demand facing a perfectly competitive firm. The demand curve for the output produced by a perfectly competitive firm is perfectly elastic, it is horizontal at the going market price. This is what makes a perfectly competitive firm a price taker. It must "take" whatever price is set in the overall market. Facing a downward-sloping demand curve, however, makes a monopoly a price maker. It has a great deal of control over the market and the market price. IT IS THE MARKET!