Antitrust Bill of Rights

[charles mueller <cmueller@metrolink.net>]

          I raised earlier the question of how many of the world's 200
  countries now have antimonopoly laws (and public agencies to enforce them)
  and am told that the total is currently more than 60, a number that's
  growing rapidly.  This suggests an interesting query:  What would be the
  ideal or "model" antitrust law for all these nations, e.g., one that would
  best maximize their per-capita GDPs?  Would it be different for the 3rd
  world countries than for the richest?  What principles should be reflected
  in that model worldwide antimonopoly law?
  
          My journal, the ANTITRUST LAW & ECONOMICS REVIEW, would love to
  publish a variety of such model antitrust laws, along with their supporting
  arguments.  To this end, I've drafted first what I call an "Antitrust Bill
  of Rights,"
  a set of guiding antimonopoly principles that I would like to see enshrined
  in the law and policy of each of those 200 countries--principles that, I'm
  confident, would splendidly enrich them.  Others will of course have
  alternative views here and I would especially like to hear from those who
  would like to offer theirs to the readers of my journal.  (For my address,
  see my Web site, below.)  
  
          I anticipate that my own "Antitrust Bill of Rights" will ultimately
  number at least 12.  I offer here #1 and invite comment.  (Now donning, as
  the saying goes, flame-retardant gear.)
  
                                                ****************************
  
  
                                                         ANTITRUST
                                                     BILL OF RIGHTS
  
          1.  The founding and operation of privately-owned economic
  enterprises--and free and fair competition among them--is the ultimate
  foundation of prosperity in every civilized society.  Accordingly, it is the
  policy of this Nation to encourage, preserve, and protect the right of every
  Citizen to create, own, and operate such an enterprise and to compete on
  fair and equal terms with all others.
  
  
                                                 ****************************
  
          Charles Mueller, Editor
          ANTITRUST LAW & ECONOMICS REVIEW
          http://webpages.metrolink.net/~cmueller