eBook

Lobbying America

Benjamin C. Waterhouse

2013,2014

Overview

Lobbying Americatells the story of the political mobilization of American business in the 1970s and 1980s. Benjamin Waterhouse traces the rise and ultimate fragmentation of a broad-based effort to unify the business community and promote a fiscally conservative, antiregulatory, and market-oriented policy agenda to Congress and the country at large. Arguing that business's political involvement was historically distinctive during this period, Waterhouse illustrates the changing power and goals of America's top corporate leaders. Examining the rise of the Business Roundtable and the revitalization of older business associations such as the National Association of Manufacturers and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Waterhouse takes readers inside the mind-set of the powerful CEOs who responded to the crises of inflation, recession, and declining industrial productivity by organizing an effective and disciplined lobbying force. By the mid-1970s, that coalition transformed the economic power of the capitalist class into a broad-reaching political movement with real policy consequences. Ironically, the cohesion that characterized organized business failed to survive the ascent of conservative politics during the 1980s, and many of the coalition's top goals on regulatory and fiscal policies remained unfulfilled. The industrial CEOs who fancied themselves the \"voice of business\" found themselves one voice among many vying for influence in an increasingly turbulent and unsettled economic landscape. Complicating assumptions that wealthy business leaders naturally get their way in Washington,Lobbying Americashows how economic and political powers interact in the American democratic system.

• Publisher: Princeton University Press,Princeton Univ. Press
• Subject: 20th century / Activism / Advocacy group / Americans / Big business / Big government / Board of directors / Budget / Bureaucrat / Business / BUSINESS & ECONOMICS / Corporate & Business History / Business and politics / Business and politics -- United States -- History -- 20th century / Business Roundtable / Capitalism / Chairman / Chamber of commerce / Consumer protection / Corporate title / Corporations / Corporations -- Political activity -- United States -- History -- 20th century / Economic growth / Economic policy / Economics / Economist / Economy / Employment / Energy crisis / Geschichtlicher Überblick / Government agency / Grassroots / HISTORY / HISTORY / Modern / 20th Century / HISTORY / United States / General / Inflation / Institution / Interessengruppe/Interessenverband / Interessenpolitik / Interessenvertretung / Jimmy Carter / Keynesian economics / Labour law / Legislation / Legislator / Lobbying / Lobbying -- United States -- History -- 20th century / Market economy / Midterm election / National Association of Manufacturers / National Federation of Independent Business / Policy / Political action committee / Political action committees / Political action committees -- United States -- History -- 20th century / Political activity / Political capital / POLITICAL SCIENCE / POLITICAL SCIENCE / General / Politician / Politics / Politische Einflussnahme / Politischer Entscheidungsprozess / Populism / Pressure groups / Pressure groups -- United States -- History -- 20th century / Price controls / Private sector / Progressive Era / Public interest / Ralph Nader / Recession / Regulation / Regulatory capture / Regulatory reform / Regulatory state / Richard Nixon / Right-wing politics / Ronald Reagan / Small business / Tax / Tax cut / The Business Council / The Political Process / The Public Interest / Trade association / Trade union / U.S. Steel / Unemployment / United States / USA / Vereinigte Staaten / Vice president / Voting / Watergate scandal / Welfare / Wirtschaftliche Interessen / Wirtschaftsunternehmen / World War II
• ISBN: 9780691149165, 069114916X, 1400848172, 9781400848171