The American economy has provided a level of well-being that has consistently ranked at or near the top of the international ladder. A key source of this success has been widespread participation in political and economic processes. In The Government and the American Economy, leading economic historians chronicle the significance of America’s open-access society and the roles played by government in its unrivaled success story. America’s democratic experiment, the authors show, allowed individuals and interest groups to shape the structure and policies of government, which, in turn, have fostered economic success and innovation by emphasizing private property rights, the rule of law, and protections of individual freedom. In response to new demands for infrastructure, America’s federal structure hastened development by promoting the primacy of states, cities, and national governments. More recently, the economic reach of American government expanded dramatically as the populace accepted stronger limits on its economic freedoms in exchange for the increased security provided by regulation, an expanded welfare state, and a stronger national defense.

Integrating approaches from political science, the study of business, and economics into a unified whole, Government, Business, and the American Economy, Second Edition, explores the many ways in which governments and the business world are interconnected. Topical coverage focuses on the role of government in the American economy; government and antitrust laws; social regulation of business; and the deregulation of U.S. transportation, financial, and communications institutions. On the global scene, international trade is emphasized along with economic development in less developed countries and terrorism and security. In addition, the authors carefully examine the important decisions rendered by the Supreme Court in this field, as well as relevant statutes passed by Congress and presidential actions that have directly impacted business. In addition to encompassing the major areas in which governments and businesses are involved with each other, the text explores the nature of the relationship and the extent to which each entity needs the other in order to survive.

For courses in Public Finance, Public Economics, Public Sector Economics, and The Economics of Taxation. Holcombe takes a "public choice" approach to public finance and looks at public policy as a product of the democratic decision-making process.

*Updated edition with a new foreword on the Trump administration's trade policy* The vast benefits promised by the supporters of globalization, and by their own government, have never materialized for many Americans. In Failure to Adjust Edward Alden provides a compelling history of the last four decades of US economic and trade policies that have left too many Americans unable to adapt to or compete in the current global marketplace. He tells the story of what went wrong and how to correct the course. Originally published on the eve of the 2016 presidential election, Alden’s book captured the zeitgeist that would propel Donald J. Trump to the presidency. In a new introduction to the paperback edition, Alden addresses the economic challenges now facing the Trump administration, and warns that economic disruption will continue to be among the most pressing issues facing the United States. If the failure to adjust continues, Alden predicts, the political disruptions of the future will be larger still.

Drawing together leading scholars, the book provides a revealing new map of the US political economy in cross-national perspective.