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What do we Know About Lobbying in Germany?

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  • Polk Andreas

    (Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Recht Berlin, Badensche Str. 50-51, 10825Berlin, Germany)

Abstract

Contribution payments and information are two important channels of lobbying influence. This survey analyzes what is known about these channels in Germany from a political economy perspective. Based on a discussion of the empirical literature and the available data, I argue that the state of empirical knowledge about lobbying in Germany is rather limited. To improve our understanding of the lobbying process, I identify research gaps and discuss potential methodological approaches which can be suitable to address these questions. Also, I discuss the role of party donations and temporary employment of bureaucratic staff, based on two novel data sets. The analysis indicates that party donations might play a role as a means to achieve access; in contrast, the temporary exchange of employees in the public administration seems to be of rather less importance in informational lobbying.

Suggested Citation

  • Polk Andreas, 2020. "What do we Know About Lobbying in Germany?," Review of Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 71(1), pages 43-79, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:lus:reveco:v:71:y:2020:i:1:p:43-79:n:2
    DOI: 10.1515/roe-2019-0035
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    Cited by:

    1. Andreas Polk, 2021. "Mehr Transparenz durch das Lobbyregister? [Transparency Implications of the German Lobbying Register]," Wirtschaftsdienst, Springer;ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 101(2), pages 121-126, February.
    2. Wochner, Timo, 2022. "Part-time parliamentarians? Evidence from outside earnings and parliamentary activities," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    lobbying; interest groups; political economy; economics and law;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • D73 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Bureaucracy; Administrative Processes in Public Organizations; Corruption
    • K20 - Law and Economics - - Regulation and Business Law - - - General

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