Coase-Sandor Working Paper Series in Law and Economics

Policy Implications of the Common Ownership Debate

Eric A. Posner

Abstract

The debate over common ownership initiated by Azar, Schmalz, and Tecu’s paper on airlines has raised questions about what, if any, policy responses are appropriate when common owners reduce competition in product markets. This paper, a response to a symposium for Antitrust Bulletin, reviews the literature on policy responses and evaluates various reform proposals in light of recent empirical and theoretical developments.