Freedom to Trade and the Competitive Process

Aaron Edlin () and Joseph Farrell ()

No 16818, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: Although antitrust courts sometimes stress the competitive process, they have not deeply explored what that process is. Inspired by the theory of the core, we explore the idea that the competitive process is the process of sellers and buyers forming improving coalitions. Much of antitrust can be seen as prohibiting firms' attempts to restrain improving trade between their rivals and customers. In this way, antitrust protects firms' and customers' freedom to trade to their mutual betterment.

JEL-codes: D2 D4 K2 L2 L4 L5 M2 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011-02
Note: IO LE
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Related works:
Working Paper: Freedom to Trade and the Competitive Process (2011)
Working Paper: Freedom to Trade and the Competitive Process (2011)
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