Trusts, Their Uses and Abuses offers a concise look at an early 20th‑century view of trusts and their role in American commerce.
This abstract from a Chicago address presents James B. Dill’s analysis of how dominant combinations of capital aim to control markets, and how public policy might respond.
In these pages, Dill compares the rise of trusts to the development of electricity—a powerful force that can be harnessed with proper rules. He argues that the issue is not the existence of combinations, but how they are guided, supervised, and disclosed to the public. The discussion covers why some companies seek influence in legislation and politics, and how publicity could stabilize markets and prevent abuses.
What you’ll find inside:
- A clear definition of a trust as a dominant combination of money, property, and power across manufacturing, transportation, and marketing.
- Practical concerns about corporate behavior, including indifference to public opinion and the risks of political involvement.
- Arguments for public and private publicity, and for legislation that ensures transparent corporate practices.
- Considerations of state and national regulation, the push for a uniform framework, and the idea that effective oversight may require federal action.
Ideal for readers of economic history and policy who want a contemporary viewpoint on how early reformers framed the trust question and sought mechanisms to harness rather than suppress this growing force.