Government and Politics

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Insights and faculty research on the interplay between economics, law, and politics, including business-government relations and more.

Latest Stories on Government & Politics

September 14, 2023
Written
A Surprising Discovery About Facebook’s Role in Driving Polarization
Recent studies find that tweaking the site’s feeds did not change users’ political attitudes during the 2020 election.
Government & Politics
Illustration of two figures walking toward a divide. One figure is on red stripes, the other on blue stars, and in the divide is the facebook logo.
August 28, 2023
Written
Another Payoff From Trading Stocks: Reducing Political Polarization
An experiment shows that investing — even when unprofitable — can be a lesson in building trust.
Government & Politics
Illustration showing stock arrows rising on a patterned backdrop.
June 15, 2023
Written
In Putin’s Crosshairs, This Author/Investor Keeps Telling the Truth
Stanford GSB alumnus Bill Browder outed Russian government corruption, and Putin wants him silenced.
Government & Politics
a photo of Bill Browder and Olga Chumanskaya, MBA ’23, in conversation in Stanford. Credit: Lisa Sanchez-Corea Simpson
May 30, 2023
Written
Will a Police Stop End in Arrest? Listen to Its First 27 Seconds.
Researchers have identified a linguistic signature that can predict whether encounters with cops will escalate. Black drivers hear this pattern as well.
Organizational Behavior
A photo of a Black woman in a car, looking nervously back at the flashing lights of the police car that has just pulled her over. Credit: iStock/RichLegg
May 01, 2023
Written
What Are Finance Experts Keeping an Eye On?
From VC and ESG to China and crypto — the topics and trends that professors are watching most closely.
Finance
Colorful illustration made of many different sections, each with geometric shapes and lines that overlap other sections to create a patchwork effect. Ibrahim Rayintakath
April 20, 2023
Written
Medicaid Expansion Increased Spending Without Boosting Benefits
A new study evaluates the impact and unexpected costs of bringing Medicaid coverage to millions of new recipients.
Healthcare
A stethoscope sitting on a pile of scattered one hundred dollar bills. iStock/Viorika
April 14, 2023
Written
Why Did SVB Fail? We’ve Been Teaching About It for Years.
Why did bankers and regulators ignore a lesson that MBA students learn in the first weeks of our managerial finance class?
Opinion & Analysis
A trader works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) as a screen shows Federal Reserve Board Chairman Jerome Powell during a news conference following a Fed rate announcement, in New York City, U.S., February 1, 2023. Credit: REUTERS/Andrew Kelly
April 07, 2023
Written
When Markets and Politics Collide, Innovation May Lose Out
In regulated markets, the threat of new competitors can lead dominant firms to pull back.
Political Economy
Illustration of a wrecking ball knocking over dominos, with a man in a business suit standing at the other end. iStock/dickcraft
March 29, 2023
Written
How Savvy Shoppers Undermined India’s Great Cash Swap
Consumers used retail transactions to keep an estimated $1.5 billion out of the country’s tax system.
Marketing
Woman paying for something in Indian rupees at a clothing store in a mall in Delhi, India. iStock/powerofforever
March 20, 2023
Written
Many U.S. Banks Face the Same Risks That Brought Down Silicon Valley Bank
A new analysis finds that $2.2 trillion in losses and nervous customers could spark more bank runs.
Finance
Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) logo is seen through the broken glass of an ATM machine. Reuters/Dado Ruvic
March 15, 2023
Written
Experts Discuss the State of U.S. Banking After the Silicon Valley Bank Collapse
Four finance professors talk about the ongoing risks banks face and the consequences of backstopping uninsured deposits.
Finance
FDIC representatives speak with customers outside of the Silicon Valley Bank headquarters in Santa Clara. Reuters/Brittany Hosea-Small
February 16, 2023
Written
Voters “Punished” Candidates Who Pushed Election Fraud Claims in 2022
A small group of voters penalized election-denying candidates in 2022 — and could sway 2024 as well, according to a new study.
Political Economy
Protesters waving Trump and American flags hold a sign that reads "Election fraud kills American democracy."
February 16, 2023
Written
The Secret to the Dollar’s Success? Nope, It’s Not Trade.
Countries that want to “dedollarize” must find a currency that matches the greenback’s extraordinary liquidity.
Finance
A close-up of a hundred dollar bill almost entirely covering a Chinese Yuan. iStock/Dilok Klaisataporn
February 09, 2023
Written
How Obamacare Has Improved Farmworkers’ Health
A new study finds that the Affordable Care Act helps agricultural workers get better medical care — and avoid the ER.
Healthcare
a female farmworker carries a bucket through a field while other farmworkers plant seeds around her.
January 23, 2023
Written
Why This Debt Ceiling Showdown Is Especially Risky
Past fights over the borrowing limit didn’t spark a financial crisis. This time could be different, according to two experts.
Government & Politics
U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. Credit: Reuters/Chung Sung-Jun
December 12, 2022
Written
Recessions Are Painful, but Stagnant Growth Could Prove More Challenging
Economist John Cochrane talks about inflation, interest rates, and what we get wrong about downturns.
Economics
A photo collage of the dollar bill, stock market data and financial information to convey a weakening dollar. Credit: iStock/sefa ozel
December 09, 2022
Written
Baby Bust: Could Population Decline Spell the End of Economic Growth?
Economists’ models assume the population will keep expanding forever. But what if it doesn’t?
Economics
A pink baby stroller rolling down a hill made of stacks of money.
December 08, 2022
Written
Tax Avoidance Has Become a Key Part of IPO Planning
Many soon-to-be public companies are already one step ahead of the tax collector.
Accounting
A person made of money wearing a hat and sunglasses holding a tropical drink.
December 07, 2022
Written
Blazing Questions: As Wildfires Intensify, Who Bears the Cost and Manages the Danger?
GSB conference highlights the difficulty of allocating risk and assigning responsibility.
Climate & Sustainability
Panelists shown left to right: Anat Admati, Mary Batjer, and Michael Wara speaking at the event. Credit: Saul Bromberger
December 01, 2022
Written
A Sense of Community Helped Spread COVID Conspiracies on Twitter
New research explores what motivated people to share increasingly bizarre theories about the pandemic.
Organizational Behavior
Illustration of blue birds with red eyes facing each other in a circle.