http://goudsmit.pundicity.com/21563/the-open-market-economy-of-ideas http://goudsmit.pundicity.com
http://lindagoudsmit.com
Antitrust laws, also referred to as anti-competition laws, are statutes developed by the United State Government to protect consumers from predatory business practices by ensuring that fair competition exists in an open-market economy.
The open-market economy is generally a reference to trade, business, and financial interests. What about the open-market economy of ideas in the public square?
The United States of America was founded upon the egalitarian principle of free speech that guarantees individual citizens the right to speak their minds without fear of reprisal or retaliation. This means that unwelcome ideas are often spoken but must be tolerated by a tolerant society. Tolerance is not required for ideas we agree with – tolerance is required for ideas we disagree with. So, what is the problem?
Historically freedom of speech was a matter for the public square. After all, people could say whatever they wished in the privacy of their homes without fear. Freedom of the press accompanied freedom of speech and guaranteed that documented free speech was protected. The antitrust laws and the amendments to our Constitution that guarantee free speech could never have anticipated the Internet.
The Internet has replaced the public square our founding fathers knew. The Internet is the 21st century arena for all information. So, let’s examine antitrust laws as they apply to questionable business activities and how those activities relate to businesses on the Internet. Investopedia provides helpful information in this area.
Market Allocation
Market allocation has to do with businesses agreeing to carve up a territory that effectively awards a monopoly to the parties involved. If business A agrees to only operate in the northern states and business B agrees to operate only in the southern states, both businesses have a virtual monopoly because the costs of doing business are so high that startups cannot compete in the north or the south – the two big companies have eliminated the competition by agreeing on their market allocation.