自1890年谢尔曼反托拉斯法问世以来,反对私人垄断成为美国的国家政策。在十九世纪八十年代,公众舆论极力反对新的工业上的合并,结果有十三个州通过了反托拉斯法。后来大多数州都通过了类似法律,但这些州法只能用来反对一些偶然发生的地方性的非法协议。谢尔曼反托拉斯法本身在参议院除一票反对外,全部赞成,在众议院则以二比一的多数赞成获得通过。它规定对于“限制贸易的任何契约…或协议”(第一条)和“从事垄断或企图垄断…州际贸易或对外贸易的每一个人”(第二条)将课以罚款或监禁。 Since the advent of Sherman Antitrust Law in 1890, opposition to private monopoly has become the national policy of the United States. In the 1880s, public opinion strongly opposed the new industrial mergers, with the result that thirteen states passed antitrust laws. Most states later passed similar laws, but these state laws were only used to oppose some occasional, local, illegal agreements. The Sherman antitrust law, which itself voted in favor of the Senate with one vote, was approved in the House of Representatives in favor of a one-to-one majority. It states that a fine will be imposed on any contract or agreement restricting trade (Article 1) and everyone engaged in monopolization or attempting to monopolize ... interstate commerce or foreign trade "(Article 2) Or imprisonment.