The United States has a variety of regulations to address the economic harm resulting from monopoly power in an industry. This includes the Sherman Act of 1890, the Clayton Act of 1914, and the Federal Trade Commission Act of 1914. These acts were aimed at restricting the formation of cartels and monopolies to protect consumers and ensure competition. The article The Oligopoly Problem argued that oligopolies fall through the cracks of these regulations and leave consumers unprotected from harmful business practices where industries are highly concentrated. Read the article and respond to the following in your initial post:
- What are examples of firms in an oligopolistic market that abuse their power? Explain how they abuse their power and describe the impact on consumers.
- Do you agree with the author's feelings about increased government oversight of such industries? Why or why not?