A trust, by any other name
Tom Paine
by Barry Lynn
02/15/06
The collapse of an overly consolidated U.S. flu vaccine system two years ago did not set off any bells. Nor did the revelation, by experts studying the potential impact of an avian flu pandemic on commerce, of deep fragilities in our hyperrationalized medical and food supply systems. The mega-merger of Procter & Gamble and Gillette last year did not do it. Nor did the general consolidation of food processors; in the U.S., 10 groups account for half of all retail sales, with single companies often capturing more than 75 percent of particular product markets. ... Or Tokyo's rewriting of antitrust laws to allow companies to consolidate 100 percent monopolies over key technologies? Or the capture of 60 percent of the global sneaker market by Nike and Adidas? In every case, there has been almost no reaction. Mittal Steel's play for Arcelor may not be a global-scale problem, as the two companies combined account for only 10 percent of the world steel market. But what of the fact that three companies account for 75 percent of global iron ore production?
http://tinyurl.com/d5yko
Informant: Thomas L. Knapp
by Barry Lynn
02/15/06
The collapse of an overly consolidated U.S. flu vaccine system two years ago did not set off any bells. Nor did the revelation, by experts studying the potential impact of an avian flu pandemic on commerce, of deep fragilities in our hyperrationalized medical and food supply systems. The mega-merger of Procter & Gamble and Gillette last year did not do it. Nor did the general consolidation of food processors; in the U.S., 10 groups account for half of all retail sales, with single companies often capturing more than 75 percent of particular product markets. ... Or Tokyo's rewriting of antitrust laws to allow companies to consolidate 100 percent monopolies over key technologies? Or the capture of 60 percent of the global sneaker market by Nike and Adidas? In every case, there has been almost no reaction. Mittal Steel's play for Arcelor may not be a global-scale problem, as the two companies combined account for only 10 percent of the world steel market. But what of the fact that three companies account for 75 percent of global iron ore production?
http://tinyurl.com/d5yko
Informant: Thomas L. Knapp
rudkla - 16. Feb, 16:17
