The benevolent monopoly can make life easier and better for customers. That’s why they’re benevolent.
Bell Telephone, Standard Oil, and Microsoft all were benevolent monopolies. The efficiencies of their monopolies were passed on to customers in the form of lower prices, standardized practices, and consistency in quality.
Walmart and Costco are not technically monopolies, but they kinda are, and they’re benevolent. If you’re a widget or foodstuff (and I use foodstuff in the very loosest way possible) producer, you want to be on their shelves. They are also benevolent. Consumers love both of them, mostly because of price.
But is it really better?
What innovations never see the market because they decide? What supplier doesn’t get a chance to make a difference because they can’t get in the door? What ideas never see the light of day because they don’t fit their vision?
The problem with benevolet monopolies is the same as with plain-ole monopolies.
