Google vs. Microsoft
Wednesday, September 19th, 2007 By Marc KilmerDave Kopel has an interesting article over at TCS Daily about Google, Microsoft, and anti-trust issues. It discusses an isse that is being increasingly noticed in free market circles. As Kopel puts it, “Google markets itself as an innovative 21st century company, but in recent years it has been following a failed business model from the previous century: Trying to game the antitrust laws to suppress the firm’s competitors.”
The article is an intersting read on how Google is using the European Union’s interesting view of “competition” to try and gain a competitive edge over its rivals. And while it is fine that companies try out-compete other companies, it is bad for both businesses and consumers when these companies try to use government to do their competing for them.
This situation reminds me of something my former professor Dr. Burt Folsom often discussed: political entrepreneurs vs. economic entrepreneurs. Political entrepreneurs pursue government subsidies and/or use legal strategies to get the government to penalize their competitors. Economic entrepreneurs, however, try to develop better products and services and win consumers’ dollars the honest way. Perhaps Google needs to meet with Dr. Folsom and learn about how their strategy has resulted in failure for many businesses that have tried it.
