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Is Amazon really skirting antitrust law?

Standard Oil depicted as an octopus, parodying its status as a monopoly.
Public Domain
Standard Oil depicted as an octopus, parodying its status as a monopoly.

In 1890, the Sherman Act was passed. Its purpose was to preserve a competitive marketplace against potential consumer abuses.

But the law isn't supposed to punish "innocent monopoly," or monopoly achieved by merit alone. So the question is: how innocent is Amazon’s monopoly? 

Seattle University Law professor and antitrust expert Jack Kirkwood explains.

Year started with KUOW: 1985 – 1986, 1991 – 2004, 2012