Search

Begin New Search Topic Political Economy Publication Year within 25 Years

541. Lobbying Systems in the European Union: A Quantitative Study

Author:
Andreas Broscheid and David Coen
Publication Date:
05-2006
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies
Abstract:
This paper presents and tests a micro-theoretical model of EU lobbying across policy domains. In particular, we focus on two questions: first, we want to know why the number of interest representatives differs across policy domains and, second, we investigate why we find institutionalized fora for interest representation in some policy domains but not in others. Our argument focuses on the Commission's need for expert information and its costs of managing contacts with a large number of interest representatives. Both factors provide incentives for the Commission to create restricted-access fora as the number of interest representatives increases. Using cross-sectional data on interest representation in a wide range of policy domains, we find some support for our hypotheses.
Topic:
Development, Government, and Political Economy
Political Geography:
Europe

542. The Politics of Tax Structure

Author:
Steffen Ganghof
Publication Date:
01-2006
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies
Abstract:
Governments that wish to redistribute through budgetary policy do so mostly on the spending side, not on the taxation side of the budget. The taxation side is nevertheless important, partly because less efficient tax structures seem to be associated with lower taxation and spending levels. Hence political conflicts over spending levels may partly be fought as conflicts over tax structure. The paper provides a coherent perspective on the politics of tax structure. Specific topics include the (ir-)relevance of tax mixes, policy change in income taxation, the importance of tax competition, and the role of political institutions.
Topic:
Development, Economics, Government, and Political Economy

543. Context Matters - Rethinking the Resource Curse in Sub-Saharan Africa

Author:
Matthias Basedau
Publication Date:
06-2005
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
German Institute of Global and Area Studies
Abstract:
Natural resources in sub-Saharan Africa suffer from a bad reputation. Oil and diamonds, particularly, have been blamed for a number of Africa's illnesses such as poverty, corruption, dictatorship and war. This paper outlines the different areas and transmission channels of how this so-called “resource curse” is said to materialize. By assessing empirical evidence on sub-Saharan Africa it concludes that the resource curse theory fails to sufficiently explain why and how several countries have not or only partly been affected by the “curse”. Theoretically, the paper argues that whether or not natural resources are detrimental to a country's socio-economic and political development depends on a number of contextual variables, divided into country-specific conditions and resource-specific conditions (type, degree/level of abundance and dependence, resource revenue management, involved companies etc.). Methodologically, a future research agenda needs to examine the complex interplay of these contextual variables by adding sophisticated comparative research designs, especially “small and medium N” comparisons, to the tool box which has been widely confined to the juxtaposition of “large N” and country case studies.
Topic:
Government, Markets, and Political Economy
Political Geography:
Africa

544. CATO Institute: Uncompetitive Elections and the American Political System

Author:
Dennis Polhill and Patrick Basham
Publication Date:
06-2005
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
The Cato Institute
Abstract:
American representative government suffers from the handicap of a largely uncompetitive political system. American politics has fewer and fewer competitive elections. In arguing that political competition matters a great deal, this paper traces the increasing trend toward uncompetitiveness and details the role and nature of incumbency advantage in fostering an uncompetitive political system.
Topic:
Demographics, Political Economy, and Politics
Political Geography:
United States and America

545. The Politics and Economics of Offshore Outsourcing

Author:
Phillip Swagel and N Gregory Mankiw
Publication Date:
12-2005
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research
Abstract:
During the presidential campaign of 2004, no economic issue generated more heat or shed less light than the debate over offshore outsourcing. This fact was probably apparent at the time to any economist who followed politics, but it was felt especially acutely by the authors of this paper. We were then working at the Council of Economic Advisers as, respectively, chairman and chief of staff. While the job of the CEA is to focus on the economics of current policy debates, the environment in which that job is performed is highly political, especially in an election year. To some extent, therefore, this paper is a report from inside the eye of a storm.
Topic:
International Relations, Economics, Globalization, and Political Economy

546. State Building under Foreign Supervision: Intervention in Bosnia-Herzegovina 1996-2003

Author:
Senada Šelo Šabić
Publication Date:
05-2005
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Austrian National Defence Academy
Abstract:
This introductory chapter frames the ideas that have preoccupied me in relation to the nature of post-war re conciliation among the parties to the Bosnian conflict and the role of external actors in facilitating this reconciliation. This thesis is the result of my profound interest in Bosnia-Herzegovina and the doubts raised with regards to its fate: whether or not this newborn is a stillborn? My interest in the case in hand led me to explore several fascinating topics, most of which triggered new ideas and an ambition to research them more fully.
Topic:
Development, International Cooperation, International Organization, International Political Economy, and Political Economy
Political Geography:
Bosnia, Herzegovina, and Balkans

547. China Brief, The Dragon's Thirst for Canadian Oil

Author:
Wenran Jiang, Willy Lam, David G. Wiencek, and Drew Thompson
Publication Date:
05-2005
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
The Jamestown Foundation
Abstract:
April marked a small leap forward in China's energy relations with Canada. China National Offshore Oil Corp. (CNOOC) put down $150 million for a one-sixth stake in MEG Energy Corp., an upstart oil sands company. This is China's first major investment in Canada's vast oil sands industry. Two days later, Petro China International Co. Ltd. signed a memorandum of understanding with Canada's giant pipeline company Enbridge Inc., promising cooperation in the $2.5 billion Gateway pipeline from Alberta to the West Coast that may supply China with 200,000 barrels of crude a day once completed. China's large energy corporations are predicting more such deals but at a “much bigger” scale.
Topic:
International Relations, Government, and Political Economy
Political Geography:
China, Canada, and Israel

548. China Brief,Beijing's Growing Politico-Economic Leverage over Ulaanbaatar

Author:
Morris Rossabi, Sergei Blagov, Migeddorj Batchimeg, Alicia Campi, and Wang Wei-Fang
Publication Date:
05-2005
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
The Jamestown Foundation
Abstract:
Just before the 2005 Tsagaan Sar (or New Year's) celebrations, a Mongolian government official urged his fellow citizens not to buy Chinese gifts for relatives and friends because if they did he estimated that $30 million would enter China's coffer.
Topic:
International Relations, Government, and Political Economy
Political Geography:
China, Eurasia, and Israel

549. China Brief, Anti-Japanese Protests Pose Long-Term Challenges for Beijing

Author:
You Ji, Willy Lam, Tarique Niazi, and John C.k. Daly
Publication Date:
04-2005
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
The Jamestown Foundation
Abstract:
It is not surprising that President Hu Jintao and his colleagues decided in mid-April to cool down anti-Japanese protests: a body blow has been dealt to China's reputation as a responsible member of the global community. The fact that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) administration was close to losing control over xenophobic crowds has again alerted Beijing to the reality that nationalism is a double-edged sword. There are also signs that CCP factions not allied with Hu and his sidekick, Premier Wen Jiabao, have used the worsening crisis with Japan to fault the way that the Hu-Wen team has conducted its foreign policy.
Topic:
International Relations, Government, and Political Economy
Political Geography:
China and Israel

550. China Brief, Beijing's Alarm Over New “US Encirclement Conspiracy”

Author:
Mohan Malik, Frank Ching, Willy Lam, and William R. Hawkins
Publication Date:
04-2005
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
The Jamestown Foundation
Abstract:
One of Beijing's worst nightmares seems to be coming true. Having apparently steadied the course in the Middle East, the Bush administration is turning to Asia to tame its long-standing “strategic competitor.” While this particular term has been shelved since 9/11 – and Sino-U.S. relations have improved thanks to China's cooperation with Washington's global anti-terrorist campaign – there are signs at least from Beijing's perspective that Washington is spearheading multi-pronged tactics to contain the fast-rising Asian giant.
Topic:
International Relations, Government, and Political Economy
Political Geography:
China, Israel, and Asia