Law and competition in twentieth century Europe : protecting Prometheus

Protecting economic competition has become a major objective of government in Western Europe, and competition law has become a central part of economic and legal experience. The competition law of the European Union has played a key role in the success of European integration during the last four decades, and it is likely to do so in the future. In recent years, national competition laws have also become increasingly important, often creating tensions between national-level and European-level regulation. Yet, despite its importance, images of European experience with competition law often remain vague and are sometimes dangerously distorted. This book examines European experience in protecting competition, analysing its dynamics, revealing its importance and highlighting the political and economic issues it raises. Dedication 6 Preface to the Paperback Edition 8 Preface 22 Contents 26 Table of Abbreviations 28 I. Introduction 30 II. Freedom, Law, and Competition: The Nineteenth Century as Prelude 45 III. Fin-de-Siècle Austria: Conceiving Competition Law 72 IV. Germany Before the First World War: Fashioning the Discourse 98 V. The Interwar Period: Competition Law Takes Root 144 VI. The Postwar Decades: Competition Law and Administrative Policy 194 VII. Ordoliberalism: A New Intellectual Framework for Competition Law 261 VIII. Competition Law and Germany’s Social Market Economy 295 IX. Competition Law and European Integration: The Competition Law of the European Union 363 X. 1986 and After: Competition Law, the Member States, and the European Union 421 XI. Law, Regulation, and Competition: Europe and the Market 446 Bibliography 466 Index 498 Protecting economic competition has become a major objective of government in Western Europe, and competition law has become a central part of economic and legal experience. National competition laws have long helped to shape the relationship between government and the economy, and their influence has grown dramatically during the last decade. Competition law has also played key roles in the process of European integration, and it is likely to continue to do so in the future. This book examines European experience in protecting competition, analyzing the dynamics of European competition law systems, revealing their impacts and assessing the political and economic issues they raise

in Recent Years, National Competition Laws Have Become Increasingly Important, Often Creating Tensions Between National-level And European-level Regulation. Despite This Importance, Images Of Europe's Experience With Competition Law Often Remain Vague And Are Sometimes Dangerously Distorted. This Book Examines The European Experience In Protecting Competition By Analyzing Its Dynamics, Revealing Its Importance, And Highlighting The Political And Economic Issues It Raises.

Protecting economic competition has become a major objective of European governments. David Gerber explains the framework of competition law and emphasises the political and economic issues it raises Competition has been both God and devil in Western civilization.