Whether the gov. influences the market is a whole other question - just like a mosquito taking a dump in the jungle, thereby influencing the weather - so I won't comment on that.
I gave you the definition and you said "pretty much spot on"; you didn't say "yes, but that's only one part".
Here's a checklist for you - yes-or-no questions:
In the US., do private businesses:
a) set their own prices among each other, and
b) do they compete with one another.
I think you are just trolling here. Or you are not taking my posts seriously.
What is with the mosquito comparison to the government, its the scale of the influence. The government controls the entire economy deeply embedded and ultra-influential.
Guess how much will the mosquito influence the jungle. It's like comparing the mosquito to the elephant.
A) That depends, since they would want to offer a competitive price, but they cant because of the VAT + regulations
(ex: why do you think the bank transaction fee is 5-20$ while bitcoin is <0.01$, its because the AML and KYC regulations)
B) That also depends since most of them compete for the government to give them perks. If they would compete against eachother with fair play, then cartels would have never formed.
If they compete for tax cuts,special laws, and bribing officials then that is not a free market anymore, not by a longshot.