Antitrust and Economic Regulation

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Modern antitrust law is economically oriented in its approach. But many people regard the singular focus on economic welfare as a recent development. The framers of the Sherman Act also hoped to reduce the political power wielded by Standard Oil and other large firms. Today, there is renewed interest in an approach to antitrust enforcement that incorporates political concerns, such as the concentration of political power in private hands. Politics has also entered the largely technocratic realm of antitrust in a second way: President Trump has indicated that antitrust enforcement might be wielded as a political tool against disfavored firms, such as Amazon or Time Warner. Our panel will discuss to what extent politics does—and should—play a role in antitrust enforcement.

Business meeting at program conclusion.