definitions

antitrust legislation

Laws passed in the United States, especially between 1890 and 1915, to prevent large business corporations, called trusts, from combining into monopolies to restrict competition. The laws were instituted to encourage free enterprise. (See also trust busting.)

RELATED CONTENT

Deepen Your Understanding Of Black History With These 10 Essential TermsRead more in this article about some frequently asked questions and fun facts related to our definitions.
READ MORE
The Dictionary Is Political: The Complication With CollusionAsk anyone what the political byword of our moment is and they will likely say collusion.
READ MORE

Nearby words

antitragus, antitranspirant, antitreponemal, antitropic, antitrust, antitrust legislation, antitruster, antitrypsin, antitrypsin deficiency, antitryptic, antitussive

Note

The enforcement of antitrust laws has been inconsistent.

Note

Although the Bell Telephone system was declared a monopoly and forced to break up, huge corporations continue to merge.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.