ANTIMONOPOLY REGULATION IN THE THEORY OF PUBLIC CHOICE

Modern economic theory classifies the following subjects of economic relations: individuals, firms, the state and its divisions. Subjects communicate with each other by means of economic goods. In the theory of public choice, the state is considered from the position of a set of individuals pursuing private purposes. Therefore, state policy is not largely defined by public needs, but by private interests. In several works of western scientists similar assumption is traced that antimonopoly regulation is a tool of redistribution of welfare in favour of groups with certain interests. Classical market economy states that individual interests rule the market, but it mistakenly supposes that legislators and civil servants are deprived of the opportunity to operate strategically, purposefully satisfying their interests. If to apply the assumption of the theory of public choice to antimonopoly regulation, two contradictions appear: individuals pursue their own interests in private spheres, so it is possible to assume that they will act the same way at state service. High-ranking officials, protecting their interests or interests of groups of individuals, can interfere with the realisation of antimonopoly policy or carry out promonopoly policy. Practical checks of these assumptions give disturbing information. The analysis of gasoline prices in the retail market displays 400% reduction of prices on oil from July, 2008 till March, 2009, while the price for regular gasoline at the same time interval showed 29% decrease. The activity of the Federal Antimonopoly Service was quite adequate: after monitoring the prices, instructions to stop the violations were given out and turnaround penalties were imposed on the 'violators'. However, oil companies, using government officials' opinion that high gasoline prices at home market is, first of all, the policy of the state, did not reduce the price and did not cooperate with supervising bodies, for example, did not provide the Federal Antimonopoly Service with the requested documents. The government, having indulged the oil companies, made a decision to retain big cash inflows to the budget during the recession due to a high State Tax. However, the by-effect is unfairly high prices for gasoline, which, most likely, will not decrease.