The Politicization of Antitrust

In the last few years, a movement has emerged that seeks to expand the remit of antitrust beyond the “consumer welfare standard” to include political and social issues, ranging from rising income inequality and declining wages, to political concentration, environmental degradation, and declining author revenue. 

But should these other social and political issues be incorporated into antitrust law? And if so, how? The discussion of this issue so far has been heavy on rhetoric and light on substance; it is dominated by non-expert, ideologically driven opinion. In this blog symposium we seek to offer a more substantive and balanced discussion. To that end, we invited a number of respected economists, legal scholars, and practitioners to offer their perspectives. 

The symposium comprises posts by Steve Cernak, Luigi Zingales and Filippo Maria Lancieri, Geoffrey A. Manne and Alec Stapp, Valentin Mircea,  Ramsi Woodcock, Kristian Stout, and Cento Veljanoski.

Participants

  • Steven J. Cernak is Of Counsel at Schiff Hardin LLP and Adjunct Professor, University of Michigan Law School and Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School.*
  • Luigi Zingales is Robert C. McCormack Distinguished Service Professor of Entrepreneurship and Finance, and Charles M. Harper Faculty Fellow, the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Director, the George J. Stigler Center for the Study of the Economy and the State.
  • Filippo Maria Lancieri is a Fellow at the George J. Stigler Center for the Study of the Economy and the State. JSD Candidate, The University of Chicago Law School.
  • Geoffrey A. Manne is President and Founder at the International Center for Law & Economics.
  • Alec Stapp is a Research Fellow at the International Center for Law & Economics.
  • Valentin Mircea is Senior Partner at Mircea and Partners Law Firm, Bucharest, Romania.
  • Ramsi Woodcock is Assistant Professor, College of Law, and Assistant Professor, Department of Management at Gatton College of Business & Economics, University of Kentucky.
  • Kristian Stout is the Associate Director at the International Center for Law & Economics.
  • Cento Veljanoski is Managing Partner, Case Associates and IEA Fellow in Law and Economics, Institute of Economic Affairs.

Series Posts (in order of posting)

* This paper represents the current views of the author alone and not necessarily the views of any past, present or future employer or client.