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Economic Deregulation and the Least Affluent: Consumer Protection Strategies
Author(s) -
Brobeck Stephen
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
journal of social issues
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.618
H-Index - 122
eISSN - 1540-4560
pISSN - 0022-4537
DOI - 10.1111/j.1540-4560.1991.tb01818.x
Subject(s) - deregulation , parallels , politics , business , consumer protection , economics , economic impact analysis , market economy , economic policy , public economics , commerce , political science , operations management , law , microeconomics
In the past decade, legislators and regulators fully or partially deregulated eight major industries. The deregulation of natural gas, depository banking, and telephone services in particular had profound effects on low‐income households. This paper examines these impacts and the reaction of consumers, consumer advocates, and public policymakers. It finds many parallels in related economic, psychological, and political developments resulting from deregulation of the three industries. It also suggests implications for research on economic deregulation, low‐income consumers, and the consumer movement.