State Liquor Monopolies Create Single‑Point Risk

When a state centralizes retail supply through one government‑controlled distribution center and outsources its operation to a single contractor, an IT change or staffing decision at that contractor can halt supply for the entire jurisdiction. The Mississippi case — incompatible new warehouse software, removed conveyors, 174,000 cases stuck and thousands of pending orders — shows how design choices turn routine tech migrations into statewide economic crises. — Shows that regulatory design and outsourcing choices can create systemic supply‑chain vulnerabilities with big fiscal and political consequences (lost tax revenue, business closures, privatization debates).