“The Dangers of Monopoly: How a Merger in a Major U.S. Industry Can Harm Consumers”

Context: Consider a major U.S. industry comprising only two companies. Suppose that the two companies are considering merging to form a monopoly. The government typically scrutinizes such mergers because it believes these transactions can have adverse consequences for consumers (such as higher prices and lower quality).
Essay topic: Based on what you’ve learned in this course (you may use insights from perfect competition, monopoly, and/or game theory), explain why the merger between the two companies may lead to worse outcomes for consumers in this industry.