The Antitrust Theory of Everything
The article discusses the influence of Barry C. Lynn and the neo-Brandeisian movement on the Democratic Party's approach to corporate consolidation. Lynn argues that corporate monopolies are the root cause of various societal issues, reshaping progressive economic thought. His ideas have gained traction within the party, leading to a singular focus on antitrust as a solution to many problems.
- ▪Barry C. Lynn is considered the intellectual leader of the neo-Brandeisian movement, which blames corporate consolidation for many societal issues.
- ▪Lynn's movement has significantly influenced progressive economic thought and political strategy within the Democratic Party.
- ▪He argues that attributing all problems to monopolies limits the scope of potential solutions and marginalizes differing viewpoints.
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Illustration by Lucy Naland. Source: Getty.IdeasThe Antitrust Theory of EverythingDemocrats are in thrall to the idea that corporate consolidation is America’s biggest, and maybe only, problem.By Jonathan ChaitMay 26, 2026, 7 AM ET ShareSave “I helped set in motion a revolution that aims to rebuild something like a true liberal democracy in America,” Barry C. Lynn wrote two years ago in Harper’s.The claim is notable less for being impossibly grandiose than for being more or less correct.Lynn is the intellectual godfather of what is now known as the neo-Brandeisian movement, which identifies corporate consolidation as the singular, villainous force behind everything that has gone wrong in the United States.
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