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
How Your Taxes Subsidize the Super Bowl — and How That Might Change
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
Veronique de Rugy on The John Batchelor Show - The Export-Import Bank
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Memo to Team Biden: Rein in the Export-Import Bank
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
A Different Fiscal Fix for State, Local Governments
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
The Equal Liberty Agenda
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
$75 Billion in Band-Aids Won't Cure Ailing Airlines
Airlines keep claiming they need a second bailout to bring back 35,000 furloughed employees. Don't buy their argument.
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Fake Jobs, Fake News: Fake Foxconn Comes Further Into Focus
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
The Always-Evolving but Still-Bogus Argument for Airline Bailouts
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
A Very Bad Bet
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Why Certain Corporations Get Bailed Out & What You Might Do About It
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
What Was Pelosi’s Taxpayer Ransom’s Goal?
You assume that the airline bailout would be stimulative. Yet bailouts benefit mostly shareholders and creditors rather than workers.
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
$75 Billion in Band-Aids Won't Cure Ailing Airlines
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
The Economic Case against a Second Airline Payroll Bailout
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Once Again, the Export-Import Bank Dogs Taxpayers With Pemex
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Public Interest Comments Public Interest Comments
Is the Ex-Im Bank Bailing Out Its Favorite Borrower?
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | TV Appearance TV Appearance
Veronique de Rugy on WCAX TV - Airline Bailout
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | TV Appearance TV Appearance
Veronique de Rugy on CNBC - Airline Bailout Part 2
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
Veronique de Rugy on Marketplace - Airline Bailout
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Canceling Spectator Sports Won’t Cancel Cash-Strapped Taxpayers’ Stadium Debt
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
Veronique de Rugy on The Lars Larson Show - Airline Bailout
Latest work in Corporate Welfare
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
How Your Taxes Subsidize the Super Bowl — and How That Might Change
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
Veronique de Rugy on The John Batchelor Show - The Export-Import Bank
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Memo to Team Biden: Rein in the Export-Import Bank
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
A Different Fiscal Fix for State, Local Governments
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
The Equal Liberty Agenda
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
$75 Billion in Band-Aids Won't Cure Ailing Airlines
Airlines keep claiming they need a second bailout to bring back 35,000 furloughed employees. Don't buy their argument.
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Fake Jobs, Fake News: Fake Foxconn Comes Further Into Focus
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
The Always-Evolving but Still-Bogus Argument for Airline Bailouts
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
A Very Bad Bet
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Why Certain Corporations Get Bailed Out & What You Might Do About It
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
What Was Pelosi’s Taxpayer Ransom’s Goal?
You assume that the airline bailout would be stimulative. Yet bailouts benefit mostly shareholders and creditors rather than workers.
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
$75 Billion in Band-Aids Won't Cure Ailing Airlines
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
The Economic Case against a Second Airline Payroll Bailout
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Once Again, the Export-Import Bank Dogs Taxpayers With Pemex
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Public Interest Comments Public Interest Comments
Is the Ex-Im Bank Bailing Out Its Favorite Borrower?
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | TV Appearance TV Appearance
Veronique de Rugy on WCAX TV - Airline Bailout
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | TV Appearance TV Appearance
Veronique de Rugy on CNBC - Airline Bailout Part 2
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
Veronique de Rugy on Marketplace - Airline Bailout
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Canceling Spectator Sports Won’t Cancel Cash-Strapped Taxpayers’ Stadium Debt
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
Veronique de Rugy on The Lars Larson Show - Airline Bailout
Latest work in Corporate Welfare
- | Academic & Student Programs Academic & Student Programs
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Hit film 'Joker' cost New Yorkers $9.9 million. Looks like the joke's on taxpayers.
American citizens are left footing the bill for megarich Hollywood filmmakers. 'Joker' is only the tip of the iceberg.
- | Healthcare Healthcare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
'Certificate of need' laws hinder Michigan health care providers
- | Healthcare Healthcare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
'Certificate of need' laws hinder Michigan health care providers
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Study Says Foxconn Deal Cost Wisconsin $20 Billion in Lost Economic Growth
Once again, government-subsidized projects fail to deliver
- | International Freedom and Trade International Freedom and Trade
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Export-Import Bank Makes an Unwelcome Return
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Tariff Protection and Big Steel’s Struggle
- | Regulation Regulation
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Nanny state regulators are banning dollar stores to protect big business
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Two years later, highly-touted Foxconn subsidies look more dubious than ever
- | Academic & Student Programs Academic & Student Programs
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
On the Anniversary of the Amazon HQ2 and Foxconn Deals, the End of Subsidies May Be in Sight
Interstate compacts can end the insanity of this mutually destructive arms race
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
What Does the Public Think About Markets, About Government, and About Corporate Favoritism?
- | Academic & Student Programs Academic & Student Programs
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
When Wrigley Got Lights
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
NFL Kickoff Game Showcases Right Way to Play Football
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
The Right Industrial Policy for America
The best way for the government to help the economy is to ensure that its existing programs work.
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Fifty Years of "Rent Seeking": A Q&A with Matthew Mitchell
- | Housing Housing
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Quotable Quotes: Targeted Economic Development Subsidies Don't Create Economic Growth
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Want to Help Military Families? Allow Occupation License Portability
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Quotable Quotes: Targeted Economic Development Doesn't Work
- | Housing Housing
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Tight Lending Regulations are a Wealth Subsidy
Part Eight of Kevin Erdmann's Housing Affordability Series
- | Housing Housing
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Quotable Quotes: The Prisoner’s Dilemma of Targeted Economic Development Subsidies
The only winning move is not to play
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Socialists Are Scary, but Capitalists Are Their Own Worst Enemies
New research shows that business leaders who benefit from government favoritism are more comfortable with government intervention into markets.