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Racism as Rent Seeking

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  • Roback, Jennifer

Abstract

Rules governing social and economic interactions among ethnic groups are modeled as public goods. The publicness of social rules can explain why race has been so consistently politicized. The potential gains from public provision attract political entrepreneurs into the field. In the absence of some constitutional restraints upon such rent seeking, race is bound to be politicized. In addition, the model can explain the existence of many government policies concerning race that are not apparently motivated by economic gain. Finally, government enforcement of ethnic economic cartels can explain some of the persistent differences in earnings across ethnic groups. Copyright 1989 by Oxford University Press.

Suggested Citation

  • Roback, Jennifer, 1989. "Racism as Rent Seeking," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 27(4), pages 661-681, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:ecinqu:v:27:y:1989:i:4:p:661-81
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    Cited by:

    1. Andreas P. Kyriacou, 2005. "Rationality, Ethnicity And Institutions: A Survey Of Issues And Results," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 19(1), pages 23-42, February.
    2. Phillip W. Magness, 2020. "The anti-discriminatory tradition in Virginia school public choice theory," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 183(3), pages 417-441, June.
    3. Andrew Smith & Graham Brownlow, 2023. "Informal Institutions as Inhibitors of Rent-Seeking Entrepreneurship: Evidence From U.S. Legal History," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 47(6), pages 2323-2346, November.
    4. Ramon P. DeGennaro & Daniel J. Smith, 2023. "Harold A. Black academic conference: an introduction to the special issue," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 197(3), pages 317-324, December.
    5. Phillip W. Magness & Art Carden & Ilia Murtazashvili, 2023. "Gordon Tullock and the economics of slavery," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 197(1), pages 185-199, October.
    6. Cullis, John G. & Lewis, Alan, 1997. "Why people pay taxes: From a conventional economic model to a model of social convention," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 18(2-3), pages 305-321, April.
    7. Geloso, Vincent & Kufenko, Vadim & Arsenault-Morin, Alex P., 2023. "The lesser shades of labor coercion: The impact of seigneurial tenure in nineteenth-century Quebec," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 163(C).
    8. Kyriacou, Andreas, 2001. "On the viability of potentially divided multi-ethnic states," MPRA Paper 115931, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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