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U.S. Antitrust: From Shot In The Dark To Global Leadership, David J. Gerber

David J. Gerber

When the US Congress in 1890 enacted the first US antitrust statute in 1890, it was taking a "shot in the dark." There were no models, and there was no experience with this type of law. Today, such laws have been enacted in over 110 countries, and US antitrust law is at the center of a globe-encircling web of competition laws and institutions. In this brief article written as part of a celebration of the history of Chicago-Kent Law School, I review the evolution of US antitrust law from "shot in the dark" to global competition law leadership.