[quote=drboom]. . . It’s set up by and for lawyers, of course, so there again we have a monopoly tax. . . [/quote]

Technically, things like real estate, law, medicine, etc. are not monopolies. In a true monopoly, it is impossible to enter the monopolized area. On the other hand, these professions do have high barriers to entry. The question that you have to ask yourself is which is the better deal – doing whatever is necessary to overcome those barriers in order to enter the profession (as bearishgurl described), or paying for the services of someone else who has overcome the barriers. It’s very dependent on what you want to do in life and in business.