The antitrust case against IBM was dropped after 13 years of litigation because
A) the Celler-Kefauver Act was passed and it changed the relevant antitrust rules.
B) IBM proved that the firm did not commit bad acts.
C) antitrust laws shifted from a rule of reason to a per se rule.
D) new companies began competing in the market and the political environment changed to a less restrictive interpretation of antitrust laws.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The antitrust case against IBM was dropped because new companies began competing in the market and the political environment changed to a less restrictive interpretation of antitrust laws. IBM had already been losing market share and the emergence of new competitors strengthened the argument that IBM was not a monopoly. Furthermore, there was a general shift towards a less interventionist approach to antitrust laws at the time.

The Antitrust Case Against IBM Was Dropped After 13 Years