From 50 Years Ago: Blind Man’s Swipe

Blind Man’s Swipe

The monopolies bill is not the first piece of legislation which seeks to vest wide powers in Government to regulate economic activity in the private sector. There are many laws, and corresponding agencies, to regulate all forms of industrial and commercial organisation and activity. What has been missing is a clear sense of direction and purpose, and the will to exercise statutory powers where their exercise is called for. Even the stray cases in which
action has been initiated have got bogged down as a result of either the lethargy of the Government or the ability of wealthy litigants to exploit to the maximum the long delays inherent in our judicial procedures. One can be pardoned, therefore, for being less than enthusiastic about the Monopolies Bill which covers almost every branch of economic activity.