Concentration and Control offers a clear, practical look at how large industrial combinations shape prices, competition, and public policy.
This 1912 study analyzes the growth of industrial concentration in the United States, explaining why mergers and holding companies emerged and how they affect business, labor, and consumers. It combines historical context, case studies, and proposed remedies to help readers understand the complexity of regulating big business and the role of law and government.
The author surveys the key factors behind concentration, including economic advantages, business practices, and legal structures. It presents detailed examinations of major industries, such as sugar refining, meat packing, and steel, and it discusses how domestic and international forces interact with U.S. policy. The work also compares experiences in other countries and outlines proposed reforms, commissions, and enforcement approaches to promote fair competition while protecting public interests.
- Tracks how large firms consolidate, and what that means for prices, output, and innovation
- Explains the legal landscape, from antitrust statutes to state and federal regulation
- Offers historical illustrations and practical arguments for or against regulation
- Unpacks proposed remedies, from commissions to refined rules governing capital and competition
Ideal for readers of economic history, public policy, and law who want a foundational view of how concentration has shaped American markets and how legislators might respond.