Does Antitrust Policy Improve Consumer Welfare? Assessing the Evidence
回顾文献并评估反垄断政策对消费者福利的影响，发现没有证据表明其在垄断、合谋和并购领域带来显著好处，甚至可能降低福利，也未有效阻止企业损害消费者的行为。
This paper reviews the literature and assesses the effects of antitrust policy and enforcement on consumer welfare. We find no evidence that antitrust policy in the areas of monopolization, collusion, and mergers has provided much benefit to consumers and, in some instances, we find evidence that it may have lowered consumer welfare. We also do not find any evidence that antitrust policy has deterred firms from engaging in actions that could harm consumers. We identify various reasons for the apparent ineffectiveness of antitrust policy, offer preliminary policy recommendations, and suggest ways in which economists could more fully assess antitrust policy.