American Political Economy

Why don't citizens vote? Why do they protest? Why doesn't Congress pass popular policies? How do politicians control unelected bureaucrats? How does Congress design effective policies? To answer these questions, this seminar surveys the basic political economy models that help explain American politics. The course will center the incentives of political actors and the constraints they face; it will analyze what voters and politicians care about, what information they have, and what strategies are at their disposal. By the end of the semester, students will be able to apply the Riker-Ordeshook model, the Median Voter Theorem, and Krehbiel's model, among others, to relevant political phenomena, and they will understand the role of social dilemma in US political life.