In 1890 the Sherman Anti Trust act was brought about due to opposition to the concentration of economic power in large corporations and in combinations of business concerns. It was named after Senator John Sherman. . Prior to its enactment, various states had passed similar laws, but they were limited to intrastate businesses. Its main purpose was to stop a monopoly of big business. A fine of $5,000 and imprisonment for one year were set as the maximum penalties for violating the act. At first it was difficult to enforce this act due to Supreme Court rulings. When President Theodore Roosevelt started the "trust-busting" campaigns, the Sherman Act started to be invoked with some success. Then in 1904 the Supreme Court supported the government's decision in its suit for dissolution of the Northern Securities Company. Then in 1911 the act was given another boost due to President Taft's decision to stand against the standard oil trust and the American Tobacco Company. When Pr!
             esident Wilson was in office he inducted the Clayton Anti-trust act which acted as supplement to the Sherman Anti-trust act. This lead to the induction of the Federal Trade Commission in 1914. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt brought the Anti Trust act back after a sharp decline in the 1920's.
             Hart-Scoss-Rodino-Anti-Trust was passed in the 70's this act made it easier to regulate violations of the Anti-trust act.
             It seemed like the 80's that the act didn't exist because it really was not inforced due to the mergers of many different companies. This was because of a lawsuit filed in 1974 under the Sherman-Anti trust act.
             I think Entrepreneurs benefit most from this act and are at least given a chance against larger companies such as AT&T and Microsoft Company. Microsoft is one of the many companies aggressively pursued by the Anti-Trust action and the justice department.
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