Tag: competition

Competition Laws and Monopolistic Behaviour – Part I

A. THE PHILOSOPHY OF COMPETITION

The aims of competition (anti-trust) laws are to ensure that consumers pay the lowest possible price (=the most efficient price) coupled with the highest quality of the goods and services which they consume. This, according to current economic theories, can be achieved only through effective competition. Competition not only reduces particular prices of specific goods and services – it also tends to have a deflationary effect by reducing the general price level. It pits consumers against producers, producers against other producers (in the battle to win the heart of consumers) and even consumers against consumers (for example in the healthcare sector in the USA). This everlasting conflict does the miracle of increasing quality with lower prices. Think about the vast improvement on both scores in electrical appliances. The VCR and PC of yesteryear cost thrice as much and provided one third the functions at one tenth the speed.

Competition With Others

You might be tempted to say: “What’s wrong with a little competition?” Nothing’s wrong with it. It’s healthy. It’s when your need to compete, and be superior to someone else, gets in the way of the best possible outcome for both of you – that’s when competition becomes a liability. I’m talking about the kind of person who always needs to be “one up” on other people.

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