Monopoly Myth Series

About This Series

In this series of short reports, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) is examining many of the key claims behind the argument that a significant change in U.S. antitrust policy is warranted.

In most cases, we find that the empirical evidence is weaker than claimed. In other cases, the causal relationships are speculative. Although some of the broader trends raise serious social issues, such as an increase in income inequality, they usually have several causes. Finally, in most cases, it is not clear that antitrust policy is either the cause or an effective cure. Broader social policies need to be enacted for such issues as income inequality and privacy.

Publications

• “No, Corporate Concentration Is Not Driving Inflation. Here’s the Data,” January 2022.
• “No, Monopoly Has Not Grown,” June 2021.
• “The Myth of Local Labor Market Monopsony,” May 2021.
• “How Progressives Have Spun Dubious Theories and Faulty Research Into a Harmful New Antitrust Doctrine,” March 2021.
• “Are Superstar Firms Stifling Competition or Beating It?” January 2021.
• “Is Big Tech Creating ‘Kill Zones’?” November 2020.
• “Is Concentration Eroding Labor’s Share of National Income?” October 2020.
• “Is Concentration Leading to Fewer Start-Ups?” August 2020.
• “Do Internet Platforms Threaten Competition?” July 2020.
• “Are Markets Becoming More Concentrated?” June 2020.
• “Is Concentration Leading to Higher Markups?” June 2020.
• “Is Concentration Leading to Higher Profits?” May 2020.