Political Economy Commons^™

Document: A National Economic Strategy

Saffy Collection - All Textual Materials

A position paper describing the Clinton administration’s proposed National Economic Strategy regarding a new covenant for economic change in America. An agreement stating we need a President who will revolutionize government to invest more in the future with education, job training making work pay by expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit, Tax fairness, Radically Changing Government, a National Health Care Plan, A Revolution in the Workplace and No Deductibility for Irresponsibility. It also addresses his Global Economy Strategy with Incentives for Productivity, Expanding Trade for a Strong America and Getting Products to Market. Printed on Bill Clinton for President Committee …

Speech Excerpts: Investing In Jobs And Economic Growth

Saffy Collection - All Textual Materials

Excerpt from speeches by Governor Bill Clinton regarding his position on economic growth and investing in jobs. Printed on Bill Clinton for President Committee letterhead. No date given.

A Martin Luther King Jr. Amendment To The U.S. Constitution: Toward The Abolition Of Poverty, Theodore Walker

Perkins Faculty Research and Special Events

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. prescribed that we add an economic bill of rights to the U.S. Constitution. A King-Inspired bill of rights should include a constitutional amendment that enumerates a natural human right to be free from economic poverty, and appropriate enforcement legislation.

For the sake of abolishing slavery, the Thirteenth Amendment says:

(Section 1) Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

(Section 2) Congress shall have power to enforce this article by …

Centering People In The Economy: Worker Cooperatives And The Solidarity Economy In Barcelona, James Hooks

Sustainability and Social Justice

Are worker cooperatives and the solidarity economy viable tools for revolutionary change in a neoliberal, capitalist system? I approach this question by considering the arguments of utopian socialists, scientific socialists, and anarchists from the Industrial Revolution and the influence of these on the theory of the solidarity economy today. These theoretical perspectives are compared to the reality of members of worker cooperatives in the solidarity economy in Barcelona. The experiences of worker cooperative members are elucidated through focus group discussions and participant produced drawings. A comparison of worker experiences with theory shows worker cooperatives can be spaces for practicing equitable …

Trends And Disparities In Leave Use Under California's Paid Family Leave Program: New Evidence From Administrative Data, Sarah H. Bana, Kelly Bedard, Maya Rossin-Slater

Economics Faculty Articles and Research

We use novel administrative data to study trends and disparities in usage of California's first-in-the-nation paid family leave (PFL) program. We show that take-up for both bonding with a new child and caring for an ill family member increased over 2005–2014. Most women combine PFL with maternity leave from the State Disability Insurance system, resulting in leaves longer than 6 weeks. Most men take less than the full 6 weeks of PFL. Individuals in the lowest earnings quartile and in small firms are the least likely to take leave. There are important differences in take-up across industries, especially for men.

Does Migration Cause Income Inequality?, Pia M. Orrenius, Madeline Zavodny

Mission Foods Texas-Mexico Center Research

Inequality has been rising across the world in recent decades. Latin America has been an exception to what otherwise seems to be the prevalent trend in the U.S., Europe and Asia. In the U.S. the rise in inequality since the 1970s has coincided with the rise in Mexican immigration. In Mexico, inequality has been declining since the mid-1990s, a period during which emigration to the U.S. first increased to historic highs and then declined steeply.

Our review of the literature suggests that low-skilled immigration to the U.S., much of it from Mexico, has only played a minor role in rising …

¿La Migración Causa Desigualdad De Ingresos?, Pia M. Orrenius, Madeline Zavodny

Mission Foods Texas-Mexico Center Research

La desigualdad ha aumentado en décadas recientes a lo largo del mundo. Latinoamérica ha sido una excepción a lo que, por lo demás, parece ser la tendencia prevalente en los Estados Unidos, Europa y Asia. En los Estados Unidos, la acentuación de la desigualdad desde los años 1970 ha coincidido con el aumento de la migración mexicana. En México, la desigualdad ha disminuido desde mediados de la década 1990, periodo durante el que la emigración a los Estados Unidos se elevó, primero a niveles nunca antes visto, para luego declinar de manera abrupta.

Nuestra revisión bibliográfica sugiere que la inmigración …

The Influence Of Regional Power Distributions On Interdependence, Michael A. Allen

Political Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Political economy debates about the influence of power configurations in expanding and maintaining global liberalization ebb and flow with the wax and wane of the concentration of power in the international system. This article engages the debate in a novel way from previous scholarship. Employing a series of econometric models that account for regional power, I argue that the global power concentration is ill fit to be the primary predictor of trade liberalization, but instead, regional power fluctuations can dampen and enhance global trends. By incorporating sub-systemic power configurations, we gain a better understanding of the regional variation in states …

Narcocorridos: Music, Defiance, And Violence In Transnational Contexts, Nallely G Murguia

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This research aims to explain and understand the effects that the music genre known as narcocorrido has on society, politics, and culture in Mexico and the United States. It provides a background on the history of narcocorridos and how it came be known as a symptom of the ongoing violence in Mexico. The Movimiento Alterado is also explored in this research project, as a product of narcocorrido singers who came together to glorify violence. A global aspect plays a big role in researching this topic as globalization and transnationalism reveal the complexity of politics, economics, and culture and its effects …

The Environmental Effects Of Economic Growth Of China And India Its Impact On Brazil, Russia, India, China, And South Africa (Brics), Shonjira Chaiwat

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This capstone discusses the environmental effects of economic growth, focusing on China and India and its relations with the BRICS pact. China and India have an impacted increasing population within their borders. With the increase of population and struggles for economic growth, these countries are creating a detrimental environment. In this capstone, I review the theory of ecological civilization as well as the Kuznet Curve Hypothesis. Although within the past few decades the BRICS have used unsustainable practices, they have signed the Paris Climate Agreement in order to combat climate change, which means they will use more sustainable methods for …

Literacy Rates Analysis: An International Comparison, Macarena Arce

Economics Undergraduate Honors Theses

This paper attempts to provide a more complete reckoning of the economics of literacy rates around the world. It consists on a literature review about the economic benefits and costs of literacy rates and then it shows two econometrics models that attempt to predict literacy rates based on GDP, government expenditure, and several other independent variables.

Political Accountability And Determinants Of Governance Under Principal-Agent Theory, Matthew Bluem

Dissertations

This study examines the theory that quality of governance is largely dependent upon political accountability, and that the effect of political accountability on governance varies based on three main determinants: level of democracy, level of information available to the public, and diversification of the economy (Adserà et al. 2003). With quality of governance, represented by the World Bank’s World Governance Indicators (WGI), as the dependent variable, this study considers how these three independent variables, and several control variables, affect governance quality. Incorporating data from 2010 – 2015 for 143 countries in both cross-sectional OLS and fixed effects panel regression analysis, …

The Dictators’ Dilemma: Repression Or Concessions In The Face Of Resistance, Chris Massaro

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The Arab Spring revolts of late 2010 and 2011 were a profound moment in the history of a region troubled by decades of authoritarianism. Years of economic mismanagement and security force repression trammeled on the rights and aspirations of people striving for a better life. When social movements and anti-government protests erupted throughout the region, each country responded to the uprisings with different methodologies. This research closely examines why autocratic regimes of the region chose such divergent responses, with some opting to use violent repression, others attempting to make concessions and most combined repression with concessions. I will make the …

Capital Growth: Precision Agriculture And Vertical Farming In The Corporate Food Regime, Justin Taylor

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Agriculture in the 21st century has entered a digital age. New technologies emphasize GPS, big data, cloud computing, the Internet of Things, automation, sensors, and robotics, contributing to two modes of modern food production known as precision agriculture and vertical farming. Through an interdisciplinary review of scientific and social scientific scholarship, this paper examines the ways in which these two technologies interact with the global corporate food regime and explores their impact in core, peripheral, and semi-peripheral countries. It also engages in a discourse analysis of promotional materials and interview statements from precision agriculture and vertical farming firms to expose …

Venezuela: Oil And Madness. Politics, Propaganda, And Realities Of The Chavista Era, Alvaro E. De Prat

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This thesis is an interdisciplinary exploration of Venezuela’s political paradoxes and their consequences during the Chavista years. On a concrete level, in this work I propose how the manner in which Hugo Chávez implemented his at first apparently benign redistributive politics in fact precipitated the country's current humanitarian crisis and what I will argue are the times of starkest inequality in modern Venezuelan history. Integral to this, although on a more philosophical level, here I also offer a theory of how and why Chávez’s representations might have been so misinterpreted.

The list of eminent political thinkers who have vouched for …

Full Circle: Building A Local Economy Through Pollinator Enterprises In The Food System, Catherine M. Demets

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

As the alternative food movement gains traction in mainstream American society, it is essential to document how enterprises in the movement are building robust local economies. As Eric Holt-Giménez (2010: 1) points out, the movement “has successfully shone the spotlight on hunger and food access in the US, created a drive for more local food, and gotten better policy from the federal to the local level,” yet no assurance exists that our society’s interest in food issues is not a passing fad. Rather, we should ask: “how do we turn initial reforms into lasting food system transformation?” (Holt-Giménez 2010: 1). …

Politics And The Price Of Rice In Thailand: Public Choice, Institutional Change And Rural Subsidies, Jacob Ricks

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Despite the Thai state’s long record of rice market interventions, historically politicians failed to leverage rice subsidies in their pursuit of political support, notwithstanding the large number of farmers in the country. Since Thaksin Shinawatra’s election in 2001, though, each government has subsidised rice producers, although at varying degrees. What explains this change? This article traces the four-decade history of rice price support programmes. It is proposed that these policies be interpreted through the dual lens of institutionalism and public choice theory, demonstrating how political institutions have shaped incentives for politicians to cater to different constituencies. During the pre-1980 period, …

The Controversial F-35 Joint Strike Fighter: America's Most Expensive Weapons System And Its Global Impact, Bert Chapman

Libraries Faculty and Staff Creative Materials

Provides an overview on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program involving the U.S. and many allied countries. Describes the costs of this program, the technical problems it has experienced, its economic impact on the U.S. and allied countries, the JSF's operational capabilities, potential combat scenarios in which it could be used, and the campaign finance impact aerospace companies and unions have in the electoral process.

Aiding To Repair: An Analysis On The Impact Of Foreign Aid In Rwanda After The 1994 Genocide, Mary Atta-Dakwa

International Relations Honors Papers

Between April 1994 to July 1994, about 1 million Hutus and Tutsis were murdered in the Rwandan genocide. The genocide not only severely declined the population of Rwandans, but largely impacted its infrastructure, government, and economy. After the genocide, about $15 billion US dollars was sent to provide humanitarian aid. Post-genocide Rwanda has seen a significant growth in its economy; however, speculators may question if the economic growth is attributed to the foreign aid it received after the 1994 genocide. This paper seeks to examine the impact of foreign aid on post-war reconstruction on Rwanda as a case study.

Planning To Fail: The Eurozone, Its Sovereign Debt Crisis, And The Future Of The Union, Kyle Whitworth

Theses

The European Union has been one of the greatest accomplishments of modern history. Through economic and political integration has ended centuries of warfare on the continent while producing the worlds largest trading bloc. Despite the initial success of the monetary union and its single currency, the Union has been bogged down economic troubles in the form of a debt crisis among several of the member states. The recovery period of the crisis has produced growth that is slow and uneven. Countries such as Germany has assumed the role of the economic powerhouse of Europe and therefore a political leader in …

Effectiveness Of Different Regime Types In Preserving Common Resources: Evidence From A Lab Experiment, David Bates

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This experiment is based on a game-theoretic problem that has troubled the field of political economy since people first started grazing cows in pastures: how can economies best solve collective action problems? This experiment looks at one aspect of this question—types of governance. Are different styles of government (democracies, dictatorships, etc) more or less likely to prevent a common-pool resource (as these goods are called by Elinor Ostrom) from being depleted? Or is the style of governance irrelevant to the question of whether a CPR (common-pool resource) is sustained?

The problem of CPRs (common pool resources) is much the same …

Connecticut Economic Outlook For 2018-2020: A Perspective From Sacred Heart University Students In Business Economics, Jack Welch College Of Business

WCBT Undergraduate Publications

The United States economy has been through its fair share of struggles in recent years. Following the 2008 Financial Crisis, many people were uncertain of how it was going to impact the future of American business, policies, and individual states economic potential. After the election of President Donald Trump, it is evident that there has been a great amount of growth in the United States economy, and the growth that has been made can be reflected in multiple ways. Using the tools and knowledge we have obtained in our Economic and Financial Forecasting course at Sacred Heart University, we are …

Engaging America: Unearthing The Middle Way In The Conflict Between Liberals And Conservatives, Noah Cadet

Capstone Collection

Liberals and conservatives have waged conflict over development strategies since the founding of the United States of America. Observers of the 2016 Presidential Election may have noticed an escalation of a preexisting trend of destructive engagement between Democrats and Republicans. The researcher pursued primary and secondary research in an attempt to understand how conflict within and between development paradigms in the United States can be transcended. The central research question was regarding how this conflict affects efforts towards peacebuilding at the grassroots from the perspective of a liberal. The literature review provides a brief histories of US American Political Economy …

Immigration And The Public-Private School Choice, Lidia Farre, Francesc Ortega, Ryuichi Tanaka

Publications and Research

This paper empirically analyzes the effects of immigration on the schooling decisions of natives. We employ household-level data for Spain for years 2000-2015, a period characterized by high economic growth and large immigration that was halted by a long and severe recession. Our estimates reveal that increases in immigrant density at the school level triggered an important native flight from tuition-free, public schools toward private ones. We also find strong evidence of cream-skimming as more educated native households are the most likely to switch to private schools in response to immigration. Furthermore, we find that immigration leads to higher student-teacher …

The Normalization Of Prostitution In Switzerland: The Origin Of Policies, Corinne Isler, Marjut Jyrkinen

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

In this article, we examine how socio-political actors frame prostitution and problems attached to the phenomenon and what types of policies they suggest. The sex trade in Switzerland has been tolerated since 1942, and prostitution is protected under the economic freedom guaranteed by the Swiss constitution. Any critique of prostitution is viewed as counterproductive, claimed to be rooted in old-fashioned ideas about sexuality and thought to worsen the situation for women who sell sex. The role of sex buyers is largely obscured, and the presumed right to buy sex remains unquestioned.

El Valor De Verde Neoliberalismo, Crisis Económica Y Políticas Polarizadas: Cómo Afecta En La Vida Cotidiana De La Gente De Clase Media En Buenos Aires. / The Value Of Green Neoliberalism, Economic Crisis And Polarized Politics: How They Affect The Everyday Life Of The Citizens Of The Middle Class In Buenos Aires., Sierra Conboy

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The history of a country can haunt them for decades. For Argentina, the history of neoliberal economics has plagued the economic development of the country; so much so that as a result of neoliberalism, Argentina experienced the worst social, political, and economic crisis of the countries entire existence between the years of 1998 and 2002. With the height of the crisis being in 2001, it continues to lurk in the economic and political infrastructure of the country today. The threat of constant economic dilemmas has manifested into the minds of the citizens of Argentina, but how far has it gone? …

Faktor-Faktor Penghambat Ritel Berjaringan Masuk Ke Kota Padang Sampai Tahun 2017, Monica Balqis

Jurnal Politik

This article explains how local government can hamper the development of retail net¬work in Padang City. In the case of Padang, the local government in the era of economic decentralization is assumed to encourage openness to investment, instead of using the instrument of authority to block the entry of retail network. The author uses a qualitative-descriptive method to answer the problem by digging primary data and supplemented by published data. By analyzing through a barrier to entry mechanism, this mechanism stipulates that local governments inhibit the entry of retail network in order to prevent competition with local retailers through several …

Ireland Austerity Addiction: Challenges & Opportunities, Brendan O'Rourke, John Hogsn

Conference papers

The current hold of austerity on Irish public policy provokes a comparison with addiction. Postliberalism, the form of austerity Ireland is hooked on, brought the country to its knees. It tied the millstone of bank bailouts around Ireland’s neck, slashed its education and health spending and meant its budgets were closely supervised by the Troika of the Europe Union (EU), the International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank from 2010-2013. Unemployment spiked and there was an exodus, particularly of young people, from the country. This was a period of national humiliation as economic sovereignty evaporated in a deal described …

Equity Culture And Decent Work: The Case Of Amazon (2017), Marcy Murninghan

New England Journal of Public Policy

Every year, publicly traded companies hold annual meetings at which management presents a summary of the year’s accomplishments and shareholders vote on a slate of ballot issues, referred to as “proxy resolutions,” that are placed there by either management or shareholders. As in public life, in theory this form of corporate governance relies on a division of authority and checks and balances among shareholders, the board of directors, and company management. In theory, shareholders function much like registered voters, boards serve as their elected representatives, and management operates much like the executive branch to carry out the mandates accorded to …

Money And Morality: Pathways Toward A Civic Stewardship Ethic (2012), Marcy Murninghan

New England Journal of Public Policy

Based on a plenary presentation made at the Ninth Harvard University Forum on Islamic Finance, held at Harvard Law School in 2010, less than two years after the 2008 financial crisis, this article argues for the restoration of ethical values and civic commitments in capitalism and economic enterprise, drawing on traditional religious, theological, and philosophical principles regarding the civic moral obligations associated with building and managing wealth. The article is divided into three main parts. It begins with an overview of reform measures emanating from the financial debacle, including the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, and an …