Fall 2003

GOV 370L • Politics and the Economy - W

Course Description

Course number may be repeated for credit when topics vary. This course examines the relationships between economics and political institutions. Political institutions defiine the rules and boundaries of economic relationships. As a result, economic agents attempt to influence the political process to seek advantage. There are some patterns which hold for all societies, democratic or not, economically developed or not, but the variation across societies is large. The course will focus primarily on the relationship between politics and market behavior in democracies. The topics which will be covered include: public choice-market choice, political parties, political competition in democracies, electoral competition, interest group politics, political regulation of economic activity, and theory of bureaucracies.

Grading Policy

Each student will be required to write a term paper on a subject related to the above topics. The choice of topic is up to the student and the paper is to be done at home. A first draft in clearly-printed type must be presented to the instructor on Wednesday, October 15th @ 10 AM for a mid-semester review. A final and revised version of the paper is due on December 4rd @ 10 AM.

Texts

Hinich and Minger. Political Analysis. Cambridge University Press. (paperback)

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