Benjamin Klein's Contributions to Law and Economics
PIONEERS OF LAW AND ECONOMICS, Lloyd R. Cohen, Joshua D. Wright, eds., Edward Elgar Publishing, 2009
47 Pages Posted: 12 Jun 2008 Last revised: 4 Nov 2009
Date Written: 2008
Abstract
This chapter in the book PIONEERS OF LAW AND ECONOMICS explores the contributions of Benjamin Klein to law and economics. I explore the intellectual foundations of Klein's pioneering analysis of the hold-up problem, the theory of the firm, vertical restraints, franchising, and the role of contract terms in facilitating self-enforcement of contractual relationships. I also discuss the significant influence of Klein's work on antitrust law, as well as its implications for contract interpretation. Klein's pioneering work over the past 30 years has not only provided us with a much greater understanding of contractual arrangements, but also a model for law and economics scholars and economists interested in explaining real world phenomenon rather than merely producing blackboard insights.
Keywords: antitrust, asset specificity, contract interpretation, contract theory, franchising, hold-up, industrial organization, theory of the firm, vertical restraints
JEL Classification: D23, D86, K00, K12, K21, L14, L42
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation