Document Type

Working Paper

Publication Date

2014

College/Unit

Chambers College of Business and Economics

Document Number

14-33

Department/Program/Center

Economics

Abstract

Vedder and Gallaway (1991) develop and test a unique theory about the interactions between the levels of spending captured by rent-seeking interest groups. They hypothesize that initially rent seekers cooperate in ways that expand government spending and rents. At some point, however, groups can only expand their rents at the expense of other rent-seekers and that this relationship will strengthen over time. In this brief note, we update their empirical model 20 years into the future and find their prediction was accurate. The relationship is now stronger and more states have moved into the negative range.

Included in

Economics Commons

Share

COinS