Chapter 1
SHERMAN ACT—GENERAL
A. Instruction 1: Purpose
The purpose of the Sherman Act is to preserve free and unfettered
competition in the marketplace. The Sherman Act rests on the central
premise that competition produces the best allocation of our economic
resources, the lowest prices, the highest quality, and the greatest material
progress.
NOTES
This instruction is based on the Supreme Court’s statement in Northern
Pacific Railway v. United States, 356 U.S. 1, 4 (1958); see also 1 ABA SECTION
OF ANTITRUST LAW, ANTITRU ST LAW DEVELOPMENTS 1-2 (7th ed. 2012).
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