Truth on the Market

Academic commentary on law, business, economics and more

The War Against Affordable Books

Posted by Thom Lambert on October 28, 2009

Last week Josh discussed the American Booksellers’ Association’s effort to get the Justice Department to pursue antitrust charges against Walmart, Target, and Amazon for engaging in a vigorous, consumer-benefiting price war. In today’s Boston Globe, Jeff Jacoby has a nice piece highlighting a bit more of the Association’s tortured logic. (HT: Don Boudreaux.) Apparently, these low prices are “devaluing the very concept of the book” and may actually discourage reading and the “sharing of ideas in the culture.” Go figure.

Here’s the Association’s letter to the DOJ in all its glory.

2 Responses to “The War Against Affordable Books”

  1. The Jeff Jacoby link doesn’t work. I think this is the article you meant to link to: http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2009/10/28/latest_battle_in_book_price_wars/

  2. Thom Lambert said

    Oops. Thanks, Brian. I think I fixed the link in the post.

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