A review by erintby
Break 'em Up: Recovering Our Freedom from Big Ag, Big Tech, and Big Money by Zephyr Teachout

4.0

I loved how recent this book is. It feels very relevant. Teachout clearly spelled out the dangers and destruction that results from monopoly power and why it has such harmful effects on our democracy. I think so often people tend to think of economics and politics as separate, especially within free market ideology, which preaches that markets should be left entirely unregulated by government interference. But of course all markets are regulated, and right now, they’re regulated in a way that enables monopoly power and is then subservient to monopoly power. As Teachout argues, we cannot avoid the moral nature of markets, because they are always structured by explicit human decisions. I also struggle to get over the fact that if antitrust laws already on the books had been enforced, we wouldn’t be in the predicament we are now where Google, Facebook and Amazon together (& many others) have incredible and terrifying amounts of power.

I appreciated Teachout’s conclusion that, “We can have a moral economy. But first we need to end government by private monopolies.” I also valued her insights into how even the left has internalized ethical consumerism. These were new thoughts to me, but I do think it’s a compelling case that needs to be made. I shouldn’t be forced to feel guilty that I’m supporting Amazon by writing this review on Goodreads, which is owned by Amazon. I shouldn’t internalize the message that I need to boycott Amazon before it is justifiable for me to write my congresswomen & men about holding Amazon responsible.