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Accounting for the Growth of Government

In: Essays on Government Growth

Author

Listed:
  • Gary S. Becker

    (University of Chicago)

  • Casey B. Mulligan

    (University of Chicago)

Abstract

Why has government grown in so many countries during the twentieth century? We present a simple model of political competition and show how different sources of the growth of government have different effects on the amount and structure of taxes, spending, and regulatory programs undertaken by the government. Those sources include: demographic shifts, more efficient taxes, more efficient spending, a shift in the “political power” from those taxed to those subsidized, shifts in political power among taxed groups, and shifts in political power among subsidized groups. We also show how the effects of each source varies according to the model of public decision-making. Based on a variety of empirical indicators of regulation, we suggest that regulation has grown from 1890 to 1990, but less rapidly than tax revenues. Regulation grew more slowly during the 1980s and, according to some measures, declined. We suggest that the long term regulatory and budgetary trends are consistent with growth in the political power of those subsidized—especially the elderly. The 1980s decline in regulation together with its growth in taxes is not consistent with any one of the theories of government growth.

Suggested Citation

  • Gary S. Becker & Casey B. Mulligan, 2021. "Accounting for the Growth of Government," Studies in Public Choice, in: Joshua Hall & Bryan Khoo (ed.), Essays on Government Growth, chapter 0, pages 1-40, Springer.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:stpchp:978-3-030-55081-3_1
    DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-55081-3_1
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