Robert Bork's Controversial Legacy
FTC Watch, Issue 820, December 2012
2 Pages Posted: 8 Jan 2013
Date Written: December 29, 2012
Abstract
Judge Robert Bork was undeniably one of the towering figures in antitrust history. He advanced the field positively in many respects, articulating a serious critique of excesses of an earlier social-political approach to antitrust. But as one of the conservative movement’s intellectual godfathers he also shares responsibility for many of their own excesses that have transformed our nation in harmful ways. This short essay explores some of the effects of his overall approach to antitrust: his preoccupation with economic efficiency.
Keywords: Antitrust, Bork, goals of antitrust, consumer welfare, efficiency, economic efficiency
JEL Classification: K19, K21, K29, K39, K49, L40, L44, L49
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation