Law and Political Economy

ACS > Projects > Law and Political Economy

Overview

ACS believes that the law can and should be a force to improve the lives of all people.

Powerful interest groups, rent seekers, and the economically and politically dominant, however, have long had the opportunity to influence and shape laws in a way that entrenches their power. Law and Political Economy (LPE) recognizes the inextricable link between politics and the economic power. Even though many laws may appear neutral, they increase the power of those at the top of our economic system and disadvantage historically marginalized groups, including racial, religious, and sexual minorities, women, the working class, and the economically insecure.

LPE seeks to expose and dismantle the systems that concentrate too much economic and political power in too few hands, similar to other critical legal traditions including critical legal theory, critical race theory, and feminist legal theory. In collaboration with LPE thinkers, scholars, and activists, ACS is engaged in the fight over our nation’s political economy—the role of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, the extent and reach of redistribution, and the threat that concentrated private wealth and power pose to democracy.

Media

Video

Video

Reviving Progressive Constitutional Political Economy Conference at Berkeley Law

Apr 14, 2023
For most of our history, when Americans argued and fought about how to organize our political economy—the role of government, the extent and reach of redistribution, the tension between democracy and concentrated private wealth and power—advocates on all sides of these questions made constitutional arguments. For generations, a main current in American constitutional thought held […]
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Video

The Constitution and Political Economy Conference at Columbia Law School

Mar 3, 2023
For generations, a main current in American constitutional thought held that oligarchy—defined as too much economic and political power concentrated in too few hands—threatens the “Republican form of government” at the heart of the U.S. Constitution. Join ACS, the Center for Constitutional Governance, and the Columbia Center for Political Economy for a day-long conference on Friday, March 3, that […]
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Video

Reviving Progressive Constitutional Political Economy Conference at Georgetown University Law Center

Nov 18, 2022
For most of our history, when Americans argued and fought about how to organize our political economy—the role of government, the extent and reach of redistribution, the tension between democracy and concentrated private wealth and power—advocates on all sides of these questions made constitutional arguments. For generations, a main current in American constitutional thought held that […]
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Photos

Podcasts

Podcast

Episode 86: Building an Equitable Economy

Jan 24, 2023
 This week, we are talking about Law and the Political Economy, or LPE, which seeks to expose how the market and economy are disproportionately shaped by and to serve powerful interest groups and the economically and politically dominant. Christopher Wright Durocher speaks with Amy Kapczynski to better understand LPE, its development, and how it […]
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Events

Past Events

Event

The Constitution and Political Economy

Mar 3, 2023
For generations, a main current in American constitutional thought held that oligarchy—defined as too much economic and political power concentrated in too few hands—threatens the “Republican form of government” at the heart of the U.S. Constitution. Join ACS, the Center for Constitutional Governance, and the Columbia Center for Political Economy for a day-long conference on Friday, March 3, that […]
Read more
Event

Reviving Progressive Constitutional Political Economy

Nov 18, 2022
For most of our history, when Americans argued and fought about how to organize our political economy—the role of government, the extent and reach of redistribution, the tension between democracy and concentrated private wealth and power—advocates on all sides of these questions made constitutional arguments. For generations, a main current in American constitutional thought held that […]
Read more
Event

Critical Theory & Legal Reform: Past & Future

Apr 22, 2021
Join the Boston University Law ACS Student Chapter for a panel discussion that will explore earlier critical legal theory movements that form the background for LPE today, including critical legal studies (CLS), critical race theory (CRT), and feminist and queer legal theory. In drawing out these themes, the speakers for this event will make linkages […]
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Upcoming Events

Stay tuned to this page for upcoming LPE events.