Plutocratic Influence on Budget Policy Making in Contemporary America

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 22K20116
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0106:Political science and related fields
• Research Institution: Keio University
• Principal Investigator: Hayasaki Seito 慶應義塾大学, 経済学部(三田), 助教 (40963749)
• Project Period (FY): 2022-08-31 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 再分配政治 / 財界 / 富裕層 / ロビーイング / アメリカ政治経済

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Materials collected during my visits to the Presidential Libraries of Nixon, Ford, Carter, and Reagan, as well as the National Archives II in College Park, reveal that the economic conditions each administration faced varied significantly, influencing diverse responses from the business community. While a more in-depth analysis is required, it appears that until the 1970s, there was a collaborative relationship between the business sector and political figures concerning fiscal policies. Regarding Reagan's tax reforms, reactions within the business community varied both by industry and by company size. Although some business groups initially expressed dissatisfaction with the tax increases, many eventually endorsed them. These groups often placed a higher value on maintaining a cooperative relationship with the government than on the direct financial impacts of the policies.

Free Research Field

財政学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

財界・富裕層が財政政策に対してどの程度の影響力を持っているか、についてはこれまで様々な主張がなされてきた。本研究は、主として歴史史料を用いつつ、それぞれの時期ごとの文脈、業種や規模による政策選好の違い、政治的な党派等の要因を考慮しなければ、財界・富裕層と財政政策の関係を読み解くことができないことを明らかにしている。また、財界・富裕層は政治家に対して影響力を与えるだけでなく、逆に政治家からの影響も受けることも明らかになった。政治家は、自らの推進する政策が支持を得られない場合に、支持を得られるように様々な策を講じる。財界・富裕層の影響力はこれらの複合的な要因を勘案して測られる必要がある。