What is the primary purpose of US antitrust laws?

The primary purpose of US antitrust laws is to preserve competition in the marketplace, which in turn benefits consumers by ensuring lower prices, better quality products, and more innovation. These laws are designed to prevent behaviors that would harm fair competition, such as price-fixing, monopolization, and collusion among companies. By keeping markets competitive, antitrust laws help foster an environment where a variety of businesses can operate, which can lead to a diverse range of options for consumers.

While regulations to control monopolistic practices and guidelines for corporate mergers and acquisitions are indeed components of the broader antitrust framework, they are more specific applications of the overarching goal of maintaining competition. Promoting international trade does not align with the fundamental aim of antitrust laws, which is focused internally on market competition within the U.S. Thus, the broader and more holistic view of ensuring a competitive marketplace clearly indicates that the primary purpose of US antitrust laws is to keep markets competitive.