Skip to main content
Log in

Political Competition, Rent Seeking and the Choice of Environmental Policy Instruments: Comment

  • Published:
Environmental and Resource Economics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In this comment, I analyze Damania's political economy model (Environmental and Resource Economics 13: 415–433, 1999), correcting some flaws and clarifying some ambiguities. I arguethat the political parties are identical at the outset of the game. Onlyafter the parties have chosen the instrument (standards or taxation) and thestrictness of environmental policy do the environmentalists and thepolluting firms know which party to support in the election campaign. Inequilibrium, both parties choose the same platform, so that both have anequal probability of winning the election.

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

  • Damania, R. (1999), 'Political Competition, Rent Seeking and the Choice of Environmental Policy Instruments', Environmental and Resource Economics 13, 415–433.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dijkstra, B. R. (1998a), 'A Two-Stage Rent-Seeking Contest for Instrument Choice and Revenue Division, Applied to Environmental Policy', European Journal of Political Economy 14, 281–301.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dijkstra, B. R. (1998b), 'Cooperation by Way of Support in a Rent Seeking Contest for a Public Good', European Journal of Political Economy 14, 703–725.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dijkstra, B. R. (1999), The Political Economy of Environmental Policy: A Public Choice Approach to Market Instruments. Edward Elgar, Cheltenham, UK.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heyes, A. and B. R. Dijkstra (2001), 'Interest Groups and the Demand for Environmental Policy', in T. Tietenberg and H. Folmer, eds., The International Yearbook of Environmental and Natural Resource Economics 2001/2002, pp. 150–178. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hillman, A. L. and H. W. Ursprung (1988), 'Domestic Politics, Foreign Interests, and International Trade Policy', American Economic Review 78, 729–745.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hillman, A. L. and H. W. Ursprung (1992), 'The Influence of Environmental Concerns on the Political Determination of Trade Policy', in K. Anderson and R. Blackhurst, eds., The Greening of World Trade Issues (pp.195–220). New York: Harvester Wheatsheaf.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hillman, A. L. and H. W. Ursprung (1994a), 'Greens, Supergreens and International Trade Policy: Environmental Concerns on the Political Determination of Trade Policy', in C. Carraro, ed., Trade, Innovation, Environment (pp. 75–108). Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hillman, A. L. and H. W. Ursprung (1994b), 'Domestic Politics, Foreign Interests, and International Trade Policy', American Economic Review 84, 1476–1478.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hofer, T. and C. Woodruff (1994), 'Domestic Politics, Foreign Interests, and International Trade Policy: Comment', American Economic Review 84, 1474–1475.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tullock, G. (1980), 'Efficient Rent Seeking', in J. M. Buchanan, R. S. Tollison and G. Tullock, eds., Toward a Theory of the Rent-Seeking Society (pp. 269–282). College Station, Texas: A&M

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Dijkstra, B.R. Political Competition, Rent Seeking and the Choice of Environmental Policy Instruments: Comment. Environmental and Resource Economics 29, 39–56 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:EARE.0000035439.63411.68

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:EARE.0000035439.63411.68

Navigation