Sorry Marcus, but the lessons of history are against your various premises. Here's the most obvious.
“...there should be general agreement on three things that governments should not do...”
“...decide what people in the private economy should charge for things ...”
Wrong, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_antitrust_law.
Cartels and monopolies result from out of control Robber Baron capitalism which clearly is not in the public interest.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robber_baron_(industrialist)
Meanwhile in the Globe’s own pages see.
https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/rob-commentary/latest-insider-trading-allegations-go-far-beyond-bay-street/article36377767/
It takes a village of enablers and obstructionists to support a Robber Baron.