Pleas for a level playing field, for instance in international trade, are often not well-founded. This is because it is not exactly clear what a 'level playing field' means. But even if it would be clear what the plea would imply, a level playing field is not always desirable from an economic...

This paper analyses competition in the professions, paying attention to the consequences for the price level and price differentiation in particular. This is relevant not only for the evaluation of competition policy, but also for monetary policy. If enhancing competition is successful, it may...