money and politics
American Slaveholders Lost Their Wealth but Kept Their Political Power
In new research, Luna Bellani, Anselm Hager, and Stephan Maurer examine how the abolition of slavery after the American Civil War affected the political influence of former slaveholders. Despite the blow to their economic standing, former slaveholders maintained their electoral success, and once in office, their influence actually grew.
Recovering from Kleptocracy: A 10-Step Program
In his book Ill Winds: Saving Democracy from Russian Rage, Chinese Ambition, and American Complacency, Larry Diamond highlights 10 steps to close existing loopholes in the...
Populism and Time Inconsistency
This recent VoxEU.org column analyzes the recent ascendance of populists across the international stage through the lens of the concept of ‘time inconsistency’—that is, the...
Campaign Financing Capture Index: Candidates on Fundraising Spree Attract Millions from Big Donors
With Marco Rubio out of the race, Ted Cruz is now the candidate with the largest fraction of political contributions over $5,000. Before dropping...
Donald Trump, Crony Capitalist
The sleep of reason produces monsters, at least according to Spanish painter Francisco Goya. What happens when the political reason is intoxicated by vested...
"Capture is Everywhere – It Happens at the Highest Levels of Our Democracy"
Armed with research on drug patents and a spate of internal emails from the United States Patent and Trademark Office, hedge fund manager Kyle...
