Skip to main content
Log in

The growth of government: A protection explanation

  • Published:
Public Choice Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Conclusion

Our approach to the explanation of the growth of government achieves three things: it ties together under the protection heading most government expenditure programs; it explains the timing of the growth of government; and it resolves the paradox of democratic government not serving the majority interest.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Baumol, W. (1967). Macroeconomics of unbalanced growth, American Economic Review 57: 415–426.

    Google Scholar 

  • Higgs, R. (1985). Crises, bigger government and ideological change. Explorations in Economic History 22: 1–28.

    Google Scholar 

  • Landau, D. (1985). Government expenditure and economic growth in the developed countries: 1952–76. Public Choice 47(3): 459–478.

    Google Scholar 

  • Larkey, P.D., Stopl, C., and Winer, M. (1981). Theorizing about the growth of government: A research assessment. Journal of Public Policy 1(2): 157–220.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lucas, R.E.B., and Stark, D. (1985). Motivations to remit: Evidence from Botswana. Journal of Political Economy 93(5): 901–918.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pasour, E.C., Jr. (1985). The public interest and rent seeking. Public Choice 47(3): 527–530.

    Google Scholar 

  • Posner, R. (1981). The economics of justice. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tullock, G. (1984). A (partial) rehabilitation of the public interest theory. Public Choice 42: 80–99.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bordo, M.D., Landau, D. The growth of government: A protection explanation. Public Choice 53, 167–174 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00125847

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00125847

Keywords

Navigation