Antitrust Remedies Against Government-Imposed Boycotts, Shortages, and Squeezes

A. Today's governments serve increasingly as price regulators, cartel managers, and political bullies. The result is to create artificial shortages (when regulated prices are set too low), monopoly profits (when a cartel works), and politically motivated boycotts (when passions run too high). This creates a whole set of business problems with antitrust overtones. B. The businessman is often caught in the middle. He faces antitrust risks (1) for "going along" with a government-inspired cartels or boycotts; and (2) for how he rations production during a government-created shortage situation. Of course, he may also want to use an antitrust remedy against those who supply, or refuse to supply, him, or even against a governmentencouraged cartel.