[nkluksda]

Not quite how a free market works. Say all manufacturers collude to keep the price high - except one. All it takes is one to realize that they can get more total profit by selling higher volume with a slightly lower margin. That breaks a cartel. The dreaded cartel or monopoly turns out to be a very difficult critter to keep (without significant government help, that is). OPEC, for all their open collusion, couldn't stop oil producers from exceeding their quotas, which impacts the supply/demand curve and drops prices. They still can't. And they can't stop those who aren't members.

Now when the government steps in to 'help' with regulation or oversight, all free market principles are out the window...