This paper analyzes the economic foundations of a non-democratic political regime, where the ruling bureaucracy captures rents through collective control over state property and job assignment. The model developed here yields the equilibrium in the 'political labor market,' where the ruling...

The budget of the Soviet Communist Party -- Trends in party finance, 1939 - 1965 -- The special budget of 1948 -- "Impossible structures": resource allocation and party donors -- Funding loyalty with promises -- The party and its overseers -- Selective justice: party control under Stalin -- How...