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Fall 2000

ISSN 0890-913X

Volume 16, Number 1

Categories: Fall 2000 | Economic development

Internet Governance : A Rent-Seeking Analysis

Alden F. Abbott, U.S. Dept. of Commerce

Gordon L. Brady, George Mason University

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InternetGovernance:ARent-SeekingAnalysisAldenF.AbbottGordonL.Brady1ThereisthenotionthatfreemarketcountrieswilldowellinattractingcapitalonlyiftheyrecognizetheincreasedoptionsthattheInternetmakesavailable.However,ataxpolicythatdoesnotundulydamageincentivesandefficiencyisbutoneingredientforwealthcreationandeconomicgrowth.Progressrequiresthatinstitutionsdefineandenforcethesepropertyrightsandpromoteunrestrictedcompetitionthroughfreetrade,soundmoney,andsoundbankingpractices.TheinstitutionsoffreedomshouldnotbetakenforgrantedandtherearereasonstobeconcernedaboutrestrictionsontheInternet.ThispaperusespublicchoiceanalysistoexaminetheinstitutionsthatwillaffecteffortstotaxandregulatetheInternet.Inthispaperwearguethatrent-seekingisapositiveinfluenceduetorapidchangeswhichcontinuetotakeplaceininformationtechnology.TheInternethasdevelopedlargelyasaAspontaneousorder,@withoutacentralcoordinatingauthority,inpartbecausegovernmentregulatorshavesimplyfailedtoanticipatethepaceoftechnologyinthisareaandthushavebeenslowtointroduceregulatorysupervision.Inhis1944bookTheRoadtoSerfdom,HayekwritesthatAasthecoercivepowerofthestatewillalonedecidewhoistohavewhat,theonlypowerworthhavingwillbeashareintheexerciseofthisdirectingpower.@Thatis,lobbyingforspecialprivilege,whichpublicchoiceeconomistscallrent-seeking,willbetheonlyactivitythatmatters.1TheauthorsareAssistantGeneralCounsel,U.S.DepartmentofCommerce,Washington,DCandSeniorResearchFellow,CenterforStudyofPublicChoice,JamesM.BuchananCenterforPoliticalEconomy,GeorgeMasonUniversity,Fairfax,VA.Theviewsexpressedhereinaresolelyattributabletotheauthorsandshouldnotbeattributedtotheinstitutionswithwhichtheyareaffiliated.

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Metadata [hide]

Title	Internet Governance : A Rent-Seeking Analysis
Authors/Creators:	Alden F. Abbott, U.S. Dept. of Commerce Gordon L. Brady, George Mason University
Year:	2000
Volume:	16
Number:	1
Pages:	36 - 56
Publisher:	The Association of Private Enterprise Education
ISSN:	0890-913X
Document Type:	Articles
Keywords:	Freedom, Taxation, Legislation, Private ownership, Political competition, Economic coordination, Government policy, Bureaucracy, Labour market, Technology, Public choice theory

Citation:
Abbott, Alden F.; Brady, Gordon L. / 2000. "Internet Governance : A Rent-Seeking Analysis." The Journal of Private Enterprise, 16(1): 36-56.