Why are monopolies and cartels bad for business and customers

To promote competition and keep prices high for business  I believe

It isn’t to promote competition

is this even a question? ? : /

earlier philosophers whose work influenced the enlightenment included bacon, descartes, locke, and spinoza. the major figures of the enlightenment included beccaria, diderot, hume, kant, montesquieu, rousseau, adam smith, and voltaire. it spread the ideas of the enlightenment across europe and beyond.