scholarly journals Avenues of influence: on the political expenditures of corporations and their directors and executives

2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 367-394 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam Bonica

The literature on corporate political influence has primarily focused on expenditures made by corporations and their PACs but has largely ignored the political activities of the individuals who lead these firms. To better understand the role of corporate elites in political advocacy, I introduce a new database of campaign contributions made by corporate directors and executives of Fortune 500 firms. Donating to political campaigns is nearly universal among corporate elites. When compared to corporate PACs, corporate elites are more ideological, more willing to support non-incumbents, and less likely to target powerful legislators. The results also reveal substantial heterogeneity in the political preferences of directors both across and within firms. In addition to challenging widely held beliefs about the political leanings of corporate elites, the prevalence of bipartisan boardrooms has important implications for how the preferences of key decision-makers within a firm shape its political activities.

Author(s):  
Darren R. Halpin ◽  
Anthony J. Nownes

The role of business in the American political system has always stirred emotions. Contemporary evidence of the clear and growing disparities in wealth between ordinary citizens and business elites has drawn new attention to this topic. Recently, the canon on the activities of business elites in politics has grown, as we have learned a great deal about how business firms and their ultra-wealthy leaders and investors seek to exert political influence. This book examines one form of business elite activity that has thus far received surprisingly little scholarly attention despite the high-profile political efforts of billionaire businesspeople such as Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg. Specifically, the book examines what we call the new entrepreneurial advocacy. Where previous work focuses on a cross section of either the wealthiest Americans or the largest firms in the United States, this book takes a deep dive into the political activities of a single yet pivotal cohort: the founders and CEOs of Silicon Valley firms. Leveraging a vast range of unique data sets—spanning the political donations of firms and their leaders; the local, state, and Washington lobbying of Silicon Valley firms; the social media and media commentary of Silicon Valley CEOs and founders; and the role of elites in supporting and founding new political organizations—this book shines a light on the role of this important set of elites in contemporary American political life.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2019/2 ◽  
pp. 5-39
Author(s):  
Darius Baronas

ANNOTATION. This article is the first attempt of the biographic research of Grand Duchess Uliana Algirdienė of Lithuania (d. 17/03/1392), based on the critical analysis of primary sources. It is also aimed at pointing out the reflection of the role of women in the pagan Lithuanian society. The research was carried out by means of the analytical and comparative method of historical source analysis with a view to separate as distinctly as possible the information derived from contemporary sources from the images imposed by later historiographic tradition. The article questions the stereotypes related to Uliana’s great political power in Lithuania’s political life that are well-established in modern historiography and present-day cultural memory. With this an attempt is made to draw attention to the problematic nature of information derived from historical sources as well as to more distinctly define the frames imposed by the political culture of pagan Lithuania which clearly marked the boundaries for the political activities of women representing the ruling dynasty. This article for the most part dwells on the issues related to the coverage of Algirdas and Uliana’s marriage and the period of their married life up to Algirdas’ death in 1377. KEYWORDS: Uliana, Algirdas, Simeon, Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Moscow, Tver, Rus’, women


Author(s):  
A. FREDDIE

The article examines the place and role of democracy and human rights in South Africas foreign policy. The author analyzes the process of South Africas foreign policy change after the fall of the apartheid regime and transition to democracy. He gives characteristics of the foreign policy under different presidents of South Africa from 1994 to 2018 and analyzes the political activities of South Africa in the area of peacekeeping and human rights on the African continent.


2021 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-139
Author(s):  
Jean Guillaume Forand ◽  
Gergely Ujhelyi

Many countries place restrictions on the political rights of government workers. This includes limitations on political activities such as taking an active part in political campaigns. Are such restrictions desirable? We present a formal welfare analysis of this question. Bureaucrats’ political activities affect voter perceptions of the government and this can have informational benefits. However, they can also induce policy mistakes and are susceptible to ‘noise’ from some bureaucrats’ innate desire for political expression. When politicians have limited control over bureaucrats and successfully coordinate with voters, bureaucrats’ political activities can be desirable. In most cases, however, banning political activities is optimal.


2017 ◽  
Vol 59 (6) ◽  
pp. 839-853 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nurul Nazlia Jamil

Purpose This study aims to examine the economic role of politics on corporate governance reforms in one of emerging market, namely, Malaysia. Design/methodology/approach The paper is based upon a literature review analysis. Findings The Malaysian economic, political and social settings have resulted in undue state and detrimental political influence on business, and yet the corporate governance reforms undertaken seemed not be able to resolve the matter. It is suggesting that it would be beneficial for Malaysia to have more independent regulatory bodies representing a wide variety of stakeholders to improve the transparency and accountability to ensure that the reforms are effectively enforced without conflicting with the political agenda. Legal institutional reforms also may be needed to improve the structure, capacity and performance of judicial system, as it is capable to capture reliance of economic role of politics and promoting accountability in Malaysia. Research limitations/implications The economic role of politics on corporate governance reforms is merely to broaden the political strategy in the corporate sector as the change in politics can improve the effectiveness of corporate governance reforms. Moreover, the economic role of politics raises the tone of the corporate governance reforms, and it implies that policymakers need to have effective corporate governance strategy in dealing with the reforms initiatives in areas that have strong political interventions. Originality/value Regulatory and judicial implications are offered as a means to improve corporate governance in Malaysia.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Teo Ballvé

This introductory chapter briefly explores the ways in which imaginaries of statelessness have structured the political life of Urabá, Colombia. It argues that Colombia's violent conflicts have produced surprisingly coherent and resilient regimes of accumulation and rule—yet this is not to say they are benevolent. In order to do so, this chapter approaches the state as a dynamic ensemble of relations that is both an effect and an instrument of competing political strategies and relations of power. In Urabá, groups from across the political spectrum, armed and otherwise, all end up trying to give concrete coherence to the inherently unwieldy abstraction of the state in a space where it supposedly does not exist. The way this absence exerts a generative political influence is what this chapter establishes as the “frontier effect.” The frontier effect describes how the imaginary of statelessness in these spaces compels all kinds of actors to get into the business of state formation; it thrusts groups into the role of would-be state builders.


2019 ◽  
pp. 151-159
Author(s):  
Saby Evelyn Lazarte Oyague

ResumenAbordamos el quehacer político de Pedro Zulen como intelectual peruano del siglo XX, importante por su activismo y diligencia a favor de los indígenas a inicios del periodo contemporáneo. Reflexionamos acerca de la intervención intelectual de Zulen en aspectos de la realidad peruana, su compromiso social y la influencia de su pensamiento político para las clases dirigentes del país. Consideramos su praxis de acción a partir de los lineamientos presentados junto a Joaquín Capelo y Dora Mayer tras la conformación de la Asociación Proindígena. Palabras clave: Política, justicia, indígena, realidad peruana, praxis. AbstractWe address the political role of Pedro Zulen as Peruvian intellectual of the 20th century who is considered relevant for his activism and diligence in favor of the Indians at the beginning of the contemporary period. We reflect on Zulen intellectual intervention in aspects of Peruvian reality, as well as his social and political influence of his thought towards the ruling classes of the country. We consider his praxis of action from the guidelines presented by Joaquín Capelo and Dora Mayer after forming the Asociacion Proindigena. Keywords: Politics, Justice, Indigenous, Peruvian Reality, praxis.


2021 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-22
Author(s):  
Dimitar Dimitrov

The article discusses the changes in the role of the political parties and institutions in the modern post-democratic societies. The goal of this paper is to present and analyze the models of establishing and functioning of the political parties and institutions in the post-democratic era, their relation with the contemporary political realities in Bulgaria and in the countries of the European Community. The main approach in the study and the analysis of the problems posed to the political parties is sociological, combined with the interdisciplinary one. The models of the political parties and institutions are traced and analyzed through the eyes of the modern political science. Outlined is the fact that there is a real danger political parties to become dependent on corporate elites and the widespread political populism. Real conditions and approaches for overcoming these shortcomings are indicated.


Author(s):  
Mariel J. Barnes

Most accounts of franchise extension hold that elites extend electoral rights when they believe expansions will consolidate their political power. Yet, how do elites come to believe this? And how do elites make inferences about the political preferences of the disenfranchised? I argue that elites utilize the cue of “disposition” to determine the consequences of enfranchisement. Disposition refers to the innate characteristics of an individual (or group) that are believed to shape behavior and decision-making. Importantly, because disposition is perceived to be intrinsic, elites assume it is more stable and permanent than party identification or policy preferences. Using historical process-tracing and discourse analysis of primary documents, I determine that disposition was frequently and repeatedly used to either support or oppose women’s enfranchisement in New Zealand.


Author(s):  
Wissam Saleh Abdul-Hussein Jassim Al-Rub

The Iranian Constitution of 1979 and the amendment of 1989 considered the Supreme Leader of the Iranian Islamic Revolution the most powerful institution in influence and presence in the political system. The guide, directly or indirectly, through the agencies operating under his administration, and here we say that the political vision of the wali al-Faqih governs its authority over all the perceptions of decision-makers in their formulation and implementation of strategic decisions that achieve the goals of the Iranian regime at home and abroad.


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