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The political economy of the COVID‐19 pandemic

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  • Peter Boettke
  • Benjamin Powell

Abstract

We argue that the policy response to the COVID‐19 pandemic by all levels of government around the world is not consistent with recommendations from standard welfare economics. Thus, it is important to ask why such policies have been adopted. That opens the door to examining the political economy of the COVID‐19 pandemic. This requires examining the incentives and information that confront policymakers and voters and the institutional environments that shape their incentives and information. This lead article frames questions addressed in the remainder of the symposium.

Suggested Citation

  • Peter Boettke & Benjamin Powell, 2021. "The political economy of the COVID‐19 pandemic," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 87(4), pages 1090-1106, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:soecon:v:87:y:2021:i:4:p:1090-1106
    DOI: 10.1002/soej.12488
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    Cited by:

    1. Danat Valizade & Manhal Ali & Mark Stuart, 2023. "Inequalities in the disruption of paid work during the Covid‐19 pandemic: A world systems analysis of core, semi‐periphery, and periphery states," Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 62(2), pages 189-213, April.
    2. Ruohan Wu, 2022. "Transitioning Economic Statuses of Appalachian Counties during COVID-19," Atlantic Economic Journal, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 50(3), pages 147-158, December.
    3. Vincent Miozzi & Benjamin Powell, 2023. "The pre-pandemic political economy determinants of lockdown severity," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 197(1), pages 167-183, October.
    4. Sezer Yasar & Ceyhun Elgin, 2024. "Democracy and fiscal-policy response to COVID-19," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 198(1), pages 25-45, January.
    5. Giampaolo Garzarelli & Lyndal Keeton & Aldo A. Sitoe, 2022. "Rights redistribution and COVID-19 lockdown policy," European Journal of Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 54(1), pages 5-36, August.
    6. Darcy W. E. Allen & Chris Berg & Sinclair Davidson & Jason Potts, 2022. "On Coase and COVID-19," European Journal of Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 54(1), pages 107-125, August.
    7. Tom Deweerdt, 2022. "Why Is the Australian Health Sector So Far behind in Practising Climate-Related Disclosures?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-11, October.
    8. Justin T. Callais & Jamie Bologna Pavlik, 2023. "Does economic freedom lighten the blow? Evidence from the great recession in the United States," Economics of Governance, Springer, vol. 24(3), pages 357-398, September.
    9. Vincent Geloso & Kelly Hyde & Ilia Murtazashvili, 2022. "Pandemics, economic freedom, and institutional trade-offs," European Journal of Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 54(1), pages 37-61, August.
    10. Yuming Lin & Zhenjiang Shen, 2022. "An Innovative Index for Evaluating Urban Vulnerability on Pandemic Using LambdaMART Algorithm," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-19, April.

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