Americans have largely watched the
advent of the massive corporation
over the past half-century with some
indifference. When companies
merged with each other, they saved
money on overheads and so could
provide consumers with lower
prices on everyday goods. But at
the age of 27, while a student at
Yale Law School, Lina Khan pushed
back against this line of thinking.
In “Amazon’s Antitrust Paradox,” a
widely read article published in 2017
in the Yale Law Journal, Khan argued
that though the rise of big companies
like Amazon may mean lower prices,
they should not necessarily be
immune from antitrust scrutiny.
Giant corporations can manipulate
the markets they dominate, she
wrote, forcing smaller companies
out of business and worsening the
economy for workers, citizens and
sometimes even consumers.It’s an argument that politicians
like Elizabeth Warren and Bernie
Sanders are now echoing. But it was
Khan’s 24,000-word paper that gave
people in the halls of power another
tool for investigating monopolies.
Khan, whose parents emigrated
from the U.K. to the U.S. when
she was 11, is now working as
counsel for the House Antitrust
Subcommittee as it takes on tech
companies. She says her research
shows that though consumers
might have an illusion of choice,
a few companies dominate large
sections of the economy and set
their own rules. “I think there is a
very coherent story to be told about
how market power is harming us
as a whole in all these bizarre ways
that are not readily apparent,” she
says. “We’re at a moment where the
revival of antitrust could be extremely
important in the coming decades.”Lina KhanTrust buster
By Alana SemuelsU.S.
to keep up with her sibling helped
Nishimura reach new goals. “[My fam-
ily] have always been right by my side
supporting me,” she says.
Not all in Japan are so fortunate.
Young people typically face a mountain
of pressure to do well at school, join a
top university and be recruited by a big
firm. Pursuits outside of this unyielding
career path are rarely encouraged. Those
who struggle academically, or wilt under
the pressure, find themselves on society’s
margins and can suffer deep trauma.
Nishimura often receives messages on
social media from fans around the coun-
try, saying they admire her for turning her
passion into a real career. “I feel I could
be an example of how to pursue one’s own
path and goals,” she says. “Because when
you overcome life’s challenges, there’s fun
and joy to come.”
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