Political Economics

This book is written for undergraduate students in Economics and in Political Science who want to learn about the political economics of redistributive policies. It provides a positive analysis of the political process behind the design and implementation of redistributive policies, by using the minimum level of mathematical formalization required, in an attempt to be accessible to second- and third-year undergraduate students. The book does not span the entire domain of political economics but concentrates on redistributive policies. This includes monetary transfers, such as pensions and unemployment benefits, as well as regulations, in the labor and product market, which allow to redistribute economic rents. Although the book is mostly self-contained, readers are expected to have a basic knowledge of microeconomics.