Economics and Philosophy
Political Economy of Public Policy
Spring/Summer 2006



 .Brandenburg Gate
Professor:    Roger D. Congleton

Office :       GW II 02.25
Phone:     55 - 4208  office    

E-Mail: Congleto@gmu.edu
WebPage:  rdc1.net

photo of parliament.
Office Hours:  Wednesday and Thursday 10:15 - 11:45, and most other times by appointment .

Recommended Texts:

Mueller, D. (2003) Public Choice III. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Hillman, A. L. (2003) Public Finance and Public Policy, Responsibilities and Limitations of Government. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Some Useful Links
J-Stor
Journals
Public Choice Society
FEC
US Constitution  / Constitutions
Elections Market
Gallup
RDC1.Net
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 Syllabus
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Dates Lectures Text Readings  (See Syllabus for complete reading list)
20/4 Prof Congleton is out of town. Do background reading and familiarize oneself with the syllabus and website. M 1 , C 2
How Predictable is Political Behavior
11/5 I. Introduction: What is Public Choice?
Appendix 1-2:The Logic of Collective Action
18/5 II. Introduction to Voting Models Median Voter Model
25/5 III. Applications of the Median Voter Model   
Median Voter Model
1/6 IV. Conceptual Problems with Majority Rule
Economic and Cultural Prerequisites for Democracy
8/6 V. Stochastic Voting Models and Welfare

15/6 VI. Voting and Institutions
C: 4, 5
22/6 IX. Bureaucracy as a Special Interest Group
29/6 VIII. Economic and Ideological Special Interests and Rent-Seeking Losses Rent-Seeking Losses and Institutions
6/7 XI. Public Policy Roundtable: Environmental Political Economy  Governing the Global Commons
13/7 XII. Public Policy Roundtable: Political Economy of Terrorism
20/7  XIII. Public Policy Roundtable: Public Pensions and Healthcare  (Aging Population, OECD)
27/07
XIV. Course Overview
27/07
Final Exam E-mailed to Congleto@GMU.EDU

30/9 (papers due)
Final Papers Due--via e-mail--to: congleto@gmu.edu
Ideas for Paper Topics

Course Grades : 

     2 pointers: Final Exam 100%
 
     10 pointers: Final Exam 20% + Final 12-15 page paper 80%