A debate: Is it time to scale back or reduce the scope of antitrust policy?
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The Antitrust Research Foundation was established in 2011 under section 501(c)(3) and section 170 of the Internal Revenue Code to conduct research studies of the results of the enforcement of the antitrust laws and to seek an answer to the question what benefits to the U.S. economy have resulted from such enforcement. The Foundation has an Advisory Board of Antitrust Law specialists from both academia and private law practice. Founding members of the Board were Lloyd Constantine and Eleanor M. Fox of New York City: H. Laddie Montague of Philadelphia; Timothy J. Muris of Fairfax, Va.; R. Heweitt Pate of San Ramon, Calif.; and Robert Pitofsky and James F. Rill of Washington DC. Mr. Constantine has resigned and been replaced by Jay L. Himes of New York City. |
A search for all published articles or government or private reports that claim to draw any empirical conclusions about the effects of antitrust enforcement has identified the ten articles attached to this report. Also attached are summaries of the articles. None of the articles provides a firm basis for reaching any conclusion as to the result of antitrust enforcement or whether there is or is not any public benefit from enforcement of the antitrust laws. (One of the articles suggests that a series of merger prevention actions by the Federal Trade Commission resulted in a less competitive cement industry.) The search was conducted over a period of two years by a professional researcher who reviewed more than 500 articles located through more than a dozen database searches. (List Of Articles With Summaries) |
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