American Politics Speaker Series (APSS): Have Fiscal Policy Failures Diminished American Democracy?
In-Person Event
S250 in CGIS South, 1730 Cambridge St., Cambridge, MA 02138
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm EST
You’re invited to join Seth Hill, Professor of Political Science, University of California San Diego, for an American Politics Speaker Series discussion sponsored by the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation and the Center for American Political Studies.
Registration is encouraged but not required. This event series will not be recorded.
This event is open to Harvard ID holders only. Lunch will be served.
Abstract
Scholars and pundits are raising alarms about democratic erosion in the United States. Building on theories of retrospective and economic voting, I investigate whether changes in American fiscal policy over the past half-century are an important source of its democratic discontent. I show that Half-Keynesian policy — excessive stimulus during drawdowns and insufficient surpluses during expansions — correlates with the rise and fall of American trust in government during the past 60 years. It also matches the ebbs and flows of congressional incumbency advantage and presidential approval. The results suggest that voter satisfaction depends upon how incumbents use the fiscal policy tools at their disposal.
About the Series
The United States is a crossroads. How can Americans connect to each other in deep and meaningful ways, despite holding drastically different political world views? What are the causes and consequences of our nation’s historic levels of partisan polarization? Just how far can democratic backsliding go? The American Politics Speaker Series (APSS) aims to bring together scholars who are doing research on these and other important questions. Hosted jointly with the Center for American Political Studies and chaired by Professors Benjamin Schneer and Justin de Benedictis-Kessner, each session will highlight a scholar whose research is at the forefront of the study of American politics.
Event Details
The Ash Center encourages individuals with disabilities to participate in its events. Should you wish to inquire about an accommodation, please contact our events team at info@ash.harvard.edu prior to the event.