There have been increasing calls from both the left and the right for a more aggressive antitrust approach to Big Tech and concentrated economic power. This seminar will trace the evolution of antitrust policy from the Chicago School of the 1970s and 1980s to the progressive neo-Brandeisian movement of the past decade. We will examine how recent trends in antitrust thinking have influenced ongoing cases against Google, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, and Apple. In the process, we will ask basic questions about the proper role of antitrust in modern society. For example, should "consumer welfare" be the exclusive focus of antitrust policy, or should we regard it as just one of several objectives? When is antitrust enforcement the best tool for addressing competition problems, and when is industry-specific regulation preferable? There are no prerequisites for this course. For the benefit of those who have not taken antitrust before, we will begin the seminar with a quick overview of the relevant statutory provisions, legal doctrine, and institutions. Elements used in grading: Attendance, class participation, final paper.
2 units · Law Honors/Pass/Restrd Cr/Fail
There have been increasing calls from both the left and the right for a more aggressive antitrust approach to Big Tech and concentrated economic power. This seminar will trace the evolution of antitrust policy from the Chicago School of the 1970s and 1980s to the progressive neo-Brandeisian movement of the past decade. We will examine how recent trends in antitrust thinking have influenced ongoing cases against Google, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, and Apple. In the process, we will ask basic questions about the proper role of antitrust in modern society. For example, should "consumer welfare" be the exclusive focus of antitrust policy, or should we regard it as just one of several objectives? When is antitrust enforcement the best tool for addressing competition problems, and when is industry-specific regulation preferable? There are no prerequisites for this course. For the benefit of those who have not taken antitrust before, we will begin the seminar with a quick overview of the relevant statutory provisions, legal doctrine, and institutions. Elements used in grading: Attendance, class participation, final paper.