Corporate Welfare
When government bestows privileges—monopoly status, subsidies, bailouts, loan guarantees, targeted tax breaks—on particular firms or industries, it does so at the expense of everyone else in the economy: taxpayers, entrepreneurs, and everyday citizens. Mercatus research demonstrates how such government favoritism misdirects resources, impedes genuine economic progress, breeds corruption, and undermines the legitimacy of both the government and the private sector.
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Latest work in Corporate Welfare
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
More Entitlement Red Flags as Politicians Tout Inaction | Creators Syndicate
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
The Monopoly Hiding in Plain Sight | RealClearPolicy
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Microchip Subsidy Sleight-of-Hand | The Hill
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
Is the Kansas/Panasonic Deal a Good Idea? | NPR (Missouri)
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
On the Idea’s 30th Anniversary, Could our Governors Stop Corporate Giveaways? | The Shelbyville News
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Sick of Sneaky State Subsidies? Ban Secret Deals | The Hill
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
The Kansas-Missouri Border War Isn't Over | RealClearPolicy
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Michigan Overpaid for Battery Plants, Utility Customers May be Stuck With the Bill | Yahoo! Finance
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | TV Appearance TV Appearance
Moving the Commanders Stadium to Virginia | WJLA-TV (DC)
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Taxpayers Line Up to Be Sacked by the Washington Commanders | The Washington Times
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Michigan SOAR Funding for Economic Stimulus: Even Though the Train Has Left the Station, It's Not Too Late to Change Tracks
Michigan Senate Committee on Appropriations
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Michigan's SOAR Funding for Economic Stimulus: Even Though the Train Has Left the Station, It's Not Too Late to Change Tracks
Michigan House Appropriations Committee
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Kansas Is Going Down Wrong Path in Sweetening a Subsidy When Company Has Likely Made Its Decision | The Topeka Capital-Journal (KS)
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Subsidy Bowl LVI: LA Shows Cincinnati How It’s Done | RealClearPolicy
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
Tax Haven for Stadium | WTOP News Radio (DC)
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Frustrated by a Corporate Handout ‘Groundhog Day’? Blame the American Rescue Plan | The Hill
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Helping Kansas Get the Best out of a Bad Deal: Megasubsidies for a Mystery Company
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
West Virginia Helps Lead the Nation toward an Interstate Compact to End Corporate Subsidies
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Don’t Bank On an End to Oil and Gas Handouts | The Hill
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Podcast Appearance Podcast Appearance
Proposed New Mexico United Stadium | Tipping Point New Mexico Podcast
Latest work in Corporate Welfare
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
More Entitlement Red Flags as Politicians Tout Inaction | Creators Syndicate
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
The Monopoly Hiding in Plain Sight | RealClearPolicy
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Microchip Subsidy Sleight-of-Hand | The Hill
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
Is the Kansas/Panasonic Deal a Good Idea? | NPR (Missouri)
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
On the Idea’s 30th Anniversary, Could our Governors Stop Corporate Giveaways? | The Shelbyville News
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Sick of Sneaky State Subsidies? Ban Secret Deals | The Hill
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
The Kansas-Missouri Border War Isn't Over | RealClearPolicy
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Michigan Overpaid for Battery Plants, Utility Customers May be Stuck With the Bill | Yahoo! Finance
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | TV Appearance TV Appearance
Moving the Commanders Stadium to Virginia | WJLA-TV (DC)
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Taxpayers Line Up to Be Sacked by the Washington Commanders | The Washington Times
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Michigan SOAR Funding for Economic Stimulus: Even Though the Train Has Left the Station, It's Not Too Late to Change Tracks
Michigan Senate Committee on Appropriations
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Michigan's SOAR Funding for Economic Stimulus: Even Though the Train Has Left the Station, It's Not Too Late to Change Tracks
Michigan House Appropriations Committee
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Kansas Is Going Down Wrong Path in Sweetening a Subsidy When Company Has Likely Made Its Decision | The Topeka Capital-Journal (KS)
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Subsidy Bowl LVI: LA Shows Cincinnati How It’s Done | RealClearPolicy
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
Tax Haven for Stadium | WTOP News Radio (DC)
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Frustrated by a Corporate Handout ‘Groundhog Day’? Blame the American Rescue Plan | The Hill
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Helping Kansas Get the Best out of a Bad Deal: Megasubsidies for a Mystery Company
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
West Virginia Helps Lead the Nation toward an Interstate Compact to End Corporate Subsidies
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Don’t Bank On an End to Oil and Gas Handouts | The Hill
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Podcast Appearance Podcast Appearance
Proposed New Mexico United Stadium | Tipping Point New Mexico Podcast
Latest work in Corporate Welfare
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
The Economic Case against a Second Airline Payroll Bailout
- | Regulation Regulation
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
A Snapshot of Occupational Licensing Regulation in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic States
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
POLICY SPOTLIGHT: Targeted Economic Development Subsidies Don’t Work. An Interstate Compact Could End Them
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Research Papers Research Papers
An Interstate Compact to End the Economic Development Subsidy Arms Race
- | Housing Housing
- | Working Papers Working Papers
The Politics of Redevelopment Planning in Tysons and Outcomes 10 Years Later
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Data Visualizations Data Visualizations
Ex-Im Favors High-Income Nations When Choosing What Exports to Support
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Working Papers Working Papers
Federal Pandemic Relief Could End the Interstate Economic Development Arms Race
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
Protecting the Presumption of Freedom
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
Occupational Licensing Reform and the Right to Earn a Living: A Blueprint for Action
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
Corporate Welfare: Beyond the Budgetary Cost
- | Healthcare Healthcare
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
The Coronavirus and Lessons for Preparedness
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
First, Do No Harm: Three Ways That Policymakers Can Make It Easier for Healthcare Professionals to Do Their Jobs
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Working Papers Working Papers
Outlawing Favoritism: The Economics, History, and Law of Anti-Aid Provisions in State Constitutions
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
A Summary of the History and Effects of Anti-Aid Provisions in State Constitutions
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Research Papers Research Papers
The Economics of a Targeted Economic Development Subsidy
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
The State of State and Local Subsidies to Business
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
Public Perceptions of Markets, Government, and Favoritism
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
Ex-Im Bank: A Comparative Analysis of Pre- and Post- Quorum Lending
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Research Papers Research Papers
A Culture of Favoritism
Corporate Privilege and Beliefs about Markets and Government
- | International Freedom and Trade International Freedom and Trade
- | Data Visualizations Data Visualizations
How Has Boeing Fared without the Ex-Im Bank’s Aid?
Latest work in Corporate Welfare
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
More Entitlement Red Flags as Politicians Tout Inaction | Creators Syndicate
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
The Monopoly Hiding in Plain Sight | RealClearPolicy
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Microchip Subsidy Sleight-of-Hand | The Hill
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
On the Idea’s 30th Anniversary, Could our Governors Stop Corporate Giveaways? | The Shelbyville News
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Sick of Sneaky State Subsidies? Ban Secret Deals | The Hill
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
The Kansas-Missouri Border War Isn't Over | RealClearPolicy
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Michigan Overpaid for Battery Plants, Utility Customers May be Stuck With the Bill | Yahoo! Finance
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Taxpayers Line Up to Be Sacked by the Washington Commanders | The Washington Times
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Kansas Is Going Down Wrong Path in Sweetening a Subsidy When Company Has Likely Made Its Decision | The Topeka Capital-Journal (KS)
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Subsidy Bowl LVI: LA Shows Cincinnati How It’s Done | RealClearPolicy
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Frustrated by a Corporate Handout ‘Groundhog Day’? Blame the American Rescue Plan | The Hill
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Don’t Bank On an End to Oil and Gas Handouts | The Hill
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Moral Hazard: Airline Edition
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Don’t Be Fooled: The Export-Import Bank Is in the Big-Business Business
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
How the Cronyism Sausage Is Made
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Federal COVID Relief Imposes Truce in States’ Corporate Welfare Wars
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
A Waste of Money
Subsidies, such as for Project Mastodon, ineffective in corporate machinations
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
The Third Airline Bailout Is No Better Than the First Two Bailouts
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Is There a Solution to Iowa’s — and America’s — Stadium Subsidy Cronyism?
It’s like a game of musical chairs: Politicians pull the seat out from under families and small businesses to privilege politically influential corporations.
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary