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Contribution to Book
Freedom to Trade and the Competitive Process
Oxford Handbook of International Antitrust Economics (2013)
  • Aaron S. Edlin, University of California, Berkeley
  • Joseph Farrell, University of California - Berkeley
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.

Keywords
  • competition,
  • restraints of trade,
  • antitrust,
  • competitive process
Publication Date
2013
Editor
Roger D. Blair and D. Daniel Sokol
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Citation Information
Aaron S. Edlin and Joseph Farrell. "Freedom to Trade and the Competitive Process" Oxford, EnglandOxford Handbook of International Antitrust Economics (2013)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/aaron_edlin/79/