Contributions

  • Robert-Nicoud, Frédéric - Contributor
  • London School of Economics and Political Science. Centre for Economic Performance - Contributor

Publication

2007 - Centre for Economic Performance, London School of Economics and Political Science, London, England

Language

English

Word Count

0 words, Guess

Page Count

0 pages

Physical Format

Electronic resource

Identifiers

Classifications

  • LCCHC10

Description

Governments frequently intervene to support domestic industries, but a surprising amount of this support goes to ailing sectors. We explain this with a lobbying model that allows for entry and sunk costs. Specifically, policy is influenced by pressure groups that incur lobbying expenses to create rents. In expanding industries, entry tends to erode such rents, but in declining industries, sunk costs rule out entry as long as the rents are not too high. This asymmetric appropriability of rents means losers lobby harder. Thus it is not that government policy picks losers, it is that losers pick government policy.

Subjects

Series Statement

  • CEP discussion paper -- no. 791

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