CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2025
| Author | Iklaga, King Emmanuel |
|---|---|
| Title | How The Revolving Door Incentivises Pro War Policy |
| Summary | The revolving door phenomenon allows private industries, especially in defense, too much sway in public policy. When former government officials get employed in the industries they once regulated or vice versa, there is an incentive to sway public policy to favor the companies using them. Regulators who get lucrative jobs in private companies after serving time in office bring insider knowledge and connections that can influence decisions in favor of private interests instead of the public good. This thesis aims to show the extent to which the 'revolving door' affects public resource allocation leading to more 'pro-war' spending. At the same time, previous studies recognize the existence of the revolving door. Analysis of how these career changes between the state and private affect defense spending and national policy decisions is little. This study looks at the career path of a former government official who moved from a public role to a high-ranking job in a private defense company. It aims to see if this job change affects 'pro-war' policy decisions. The research will also check lobbying expenditures and defense contracts to highlight the incentives influencing policy changes. This case study will demonstrate how personal career incentives and corporate lobbying can drive pro-war policies, revealing a potential conflict between national interest and the private financial motives shaping policymakers' decisions The findings show that the career transitions of former officials who go on to work in high positions in private defense companies correlate with higher lobbying spending and more defense contracts, revealing how personal benefits influence the push for pro-war policies. These results suggest that the revolving door gives the defense industry a larger role in government, challenging the assumption that policymaking is neutral and raising concerns about democratic accountability. |
| Supervisor | Florian Weiler |
| Department | Undergraduate Studies BA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2025/iklaga_king.pdf |
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