The Sherman Antitrust Act and Uncle Sam

Paper Summary:

This paper explores the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890 and asks whether trusts or monopolies are truly harmful to the consumer. This paper focuses on Standard Oil, A T & T and the Microsoft Corporation as well as the recent government decision which seriously considers breaking up Microsoft into two or three separate companies. The writer of this paper also discusses whether the Sherman act encourages or restricts competition.

From the Paper:

"It is a fact that Microsoft, through its economies of scale, could bring out various products at a lower rate. Volume can provide lower costs which, all other things being equal, are passed on to the consumer. So, in essence, a Microsoft broad scope benefits the ultimate consumer, and has demonstrably done so, while the competition among long distance carriers and gasoline refiners has not shown top have lowered the costs to consumers very much, if at all. Interestingly enough, when Henry Ford's production techniques allowed him to outsell and under-price all competition, there was no thought of considering Ford in violation of the Sherman Act."

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