- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
Economic Freedom in the Period of Invisible Punishment: Occupational and Business Licensing Barriers That Restrict Access to Work for Those with Criminal Records
Revised August 2022In the United States, once people have been convicted of a crime—or, in many cases, even arrested for a crime
- | Technology and Innovation Technology and Innovation
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
POLICY SPOTLIGHT: Targeted Industrial Policy Will Not Boost High-Tech Innovation; Encouraging Entrepreneurialism Will
In this Policy Spotlight series, Mercatus scholars provide a high-level overview of their positions on key issues facing our
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Ohio Should Open the Door to Skilled Workers
Chair Wiggam, Vice Chair John, Ranking Member Kelly, and all distinguished members of the House State and Local Government
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Data Visualizations Data Visualizations
Ex-Im Favors High-Income Nations When Choosing What Exports to Support
The Export-Import (Ex-Im) Bank of the United States was created with the purpose of helping exporters “when private sector
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
Occupational Licensing Reform and the Right to Earn a Living: A Blueprint for Action
Entrepreneurialism and innovation create major gains for individuals and society in the form of greater choice, improved
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
Corporate Welfare: Beyond the Budgetary Cost
Over the past couple of decades, the issue of the federal government providing financial benefits to select commercial interests
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Working Papers Working Papers
Outlawing Favoritism: The Economics, History, and Law of Anti-Aid Provisions in State Constitutions
States and localities spend about $49 billion per year on targeted economic development subsidies, according to a recent study
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Colorado Occupational Licensing and Credential Portability
Chair Kraft-Tharp, Vice Chair Coleman, and distinguished members of the House Committee on Business Affairs & Labor:My name is
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
A Summary of the History and Effects of Anti-Aid Provisions in State Constitutions
Despite their popularity among policymakers, targeted economic development subsidies don’t work as advertised. Indeed, the best
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Research Papers Research Papers
The Economics of a Targeted Economic Development Subsidy
Many government officials consider targeted economic development subsidies key to economic development. In a recent survey of
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
St. Louis Should Not Succumb to Subsidizing Its New MLS Stadium
Major League Soccer (MLS) officials announced Tuesday that St. Louis is getting a MLS expansion franchise, growing the league to

- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Quotable Quotes: Stadium Subsidies are a Terrible Investment for Taxpayers
Professional sports stadiums attract new business, create construction jobs, and increase local economic growth—or at least

- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Quotable Quotes: Targeted Economic Development Subsidies Don't Create Economic Growth
“You have to spend money to make money” is a common justification for economic development subsidies. Politicians and paid

- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Quotable Quotes: The Prisoner’s Dilemma of Targeted Economic Development Subsidies
Politicians have used subsidies to entice businesses to move to their region since the 1930s. But this has led to state and

- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | TV Appearance TV Appearance
Michael D. Farren on C-SPAN's Washington Journal
Michael D. Farren appeared on C-SPAN's morning program Washington Journal to discuss corporate welfare and the recent Amazon HQ2
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Amazon Cancels New York Expansion Plans
Matthew D. Mitchell Amazon has decided not to build one-half of its HQ2 in New York after all, teaching Empire State politicians

- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Colorado Occupational Licensing: Barriers to Opportunity in the Centennial State
Chair Kraft-Tharp, Vice-Chair Coleman, and distinguished members of the House Committee on Business Affairs and Labor:My name is
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Mercatus Original Podcasts Mercatus Original Podcasts
Will Interstate Compacts Change the Stadium Subsidies Game?
With the Super Bowl behind us, football fans are already looking ahead to the 2020 season, and they’re not the only ones
