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Competition, Trade, And The Antitrust Division: 1981, Joel Davidow

Northwestern Journal of International Law & Business

One of the primary purposes-some would say the primary pur- pose--of antitrust laws is to promote efficient allocation of resources and maximum consumer choice by preventing and punishing artificial barriers to competition and unreasonable restraints of trade.' The An- titrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice has therefore con- cerned itself with the task of breaking down those barriers. In the domestic field, this policy has traditionally taken the form of prosecut- ing persons and corporations who engage in price fixing or market divi- sion, or who obtain or maintain monopoly power by means of abusive practices. More recently, …