We examine three theories of Progressive Era regulation: public interest, industry capture, and information manipulation by the federal bureaucracy and muckraking press. Based on analysis of qualitative legislative histories and econometric evidence, we argue that the adoption of the 1906 Pure...

We examine three theories of Progressive Era regulation: public interest, industry capture, and information manipulation by the federal bureaucracy and muckraking press. Based on analysis of qualitative legislative histories and econometric evidence, we argue that the adoption of the 1906 Pure...

Economists have devoted relatively little attention to analyzing how government officials actually enforce regulation. This is a significant omission, since the efficacy of regulatory enforcement and the effects of regulation on economic outcomes may depend on how regulators regulate. This...

Economists have devoted relatively little attention to analyzing how government officials actually enforce regulation. This is a significant omission since the efficacy of regulatory enforcement and the effects of regulation on economic outcomes may depend on how regulators regulate. This paper...