List monad ($\mathrm{List}(X)={\coprod }_{n\ge 0}{X}^n$)

On the Category of sets, the list monad sends $X$ to all finite ordered lists of elements of $X$, including the empty list. Its unit inserts a singleton list and its multiplication concatenates a list of lists. Functoriality is entrywise application of functions. Ordered flattening proves the monad laws. This is the free-monoid monad, so order must not be discarded.

An algebra for a monad for the list monad is precisely a monoid. For an action $a$, the identity is $a([])$ and multiplication is $a([x,y])$. The algebra laws force the unit and associativity laws and determine $a$ as ordered multiplication. Conversely ordered multiplication defines a list action. Algebra morphisms are exactly monoid homomorphisms, giving an isomorphism of categories ${\mathbf{Set}}^{\mathrm{List}}\cong \mathbf{Mon}$.