2008 Articles

History of Universal Service and the Postal Monopoly

John, Richard R.

In December 2006, the U.S. Congress directed the Postal Regulatory Commission to prepare a “comprehensive review of the history and development of universal service and the postal monopoly.” This review was to include a discussion of the evolution over time of the “scope and standards of universal service” for the nation as well as for its urban and rural areas. This review has been prepared in accordance with this directive. It is written from the standpoint of a historian rather than an economist or lawyer. That is, it tries to set the record straight, which is what I understand to be the primary obligation of the historian, rather than to test a hypothesis, as might an economist, or make a brief for a particular position, as might a lawyer. In this way, it complements other studies that are being prepared for the Postal Regulatory Commission.`