An Experimental Examination of Rational Rent-Seeking

Jan Potters, Casper G. de Vries () and Frans van Winden ()
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Frans van Winden: University of Amsterdam

No 98-068/1, Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers from Tinbergen Institute

Abstract: The theoretical literature exploring various ramifications and applications of Tullock's (1980) rent-seeking model is extensive and rapidly growing. In contrast, there exist as yet only a few experimental evaluations of Tullock's model with ambiguous results. Moreover, these studies focus on one particular case (proportional probabilities) and use a problematic experimental design for testing the model. With an appropriate design we investigate the extreme cases of proportional probabilities and perfect discrimination, which offer the starkest contrast in terms of theoretical predictions. We find substantial evidence for the predictive power of the rent-seeking model, particularly if one allows for the fact that people sometimes make mistakes or are confused about what to do.

Date: 1998-06-10
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