Introduction -- AARP's history: growing up and branching out -- AARP and its members: maintaining America's largest interest group -- A pragmatic voice and a powerful ally -- AARP's influence: thirty-eight million members, Washington insider status, and no campaign dollars -- Business, advocacy,...

Das Gesundheitsstrukturgesetz (GSG) von 1992 markiert den Beginn wettbewerbsorientierter Reformen der Gesetzlichen Krankenversicherung (GKV): Kassenwahlfreiheit und Risikostrukturausgleich waren bahnbrechende Weichenstellungen für den Kassenwettbewerb auf dem Versicherungsmarkt, und auch der...

Mancur Olson's theory of the decline of nations is path-breaking in political economics. It has been tested cross-sectionally in numerous empirical studies. We survey the existing results briefly, with a special focus on studies using the number of lobbies as an exogenous variable. Using data...

With interest groups significantly affecting economic performance (according to Mancur Olson) and a vital interest of governments in economic growth and low unemployment in order to win elections, there should be a link between political business cycles and the evolution of lobbies over time...