New Empirical Estimates of Rent Seeking: An Update of Sobel and Garrett (2002)

16 Pages Posted: 5 Mar 2011 Last revised: 22 Jul 2011

See all articles by Joshua C. Hall

Joshua C. Hall

West Virginia University

Justin M. Ross

Indiana University - School of Public & Environmental Affairs

Date Written: June 1, 2010

Abstract

The SIC sectors identified for direct, indirect, and in kind rent seeking activity have been identified and verified empirically in Sobel & Garrett (2002) by comparing capital counties to non-capital counties. We convert these industries from SIC to NAICS codes and provide measures of direct, indirect, and in-kind rent seeking for the year 2005. In addition, we extend their work by switching from counties to Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas, which are defined as economically integrated counties. Our measures are consistent with theirs and provide a starting point for creating a time series of rent-seeking activity in the United States.

Keywords: rent seeking, interest groups, astroturfing

JEL Classification: D720

Suggested Citation

Hall, Joshua C. and Ross, Justin M., New Empirical Estimates of Rent Seeking: An Update of Sobel and Garrett (2002) (June 1, 2010). Journal of Public Finance and Public Choice, Forthcoming, Indiana University-Bloomington: School of Public & Environmental Affairs Research Paper Series no. 2011-03-01, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1774996 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1774996

Joshua C. Hall (Contact Author)

West Virginia University ( email )

Morgantown, WV 26506
United States

Justin M. Ross

Indiana University - School of Public & Environmental Affairs ( email )

1315 East Tenth Street
Bloomington, IN 47405
United States

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
135
Abstract Views
1,099
Rank
383,693
PlumX Metrics