Explaining the American Exception The Story of the American Gasoline Tax
Date of Award
2005
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelors
Department
Social Sciences
First Advisor
Alcock, Frank
Keywords
Gasoline Tax, Oil, American Exceptualism
Area of Concentration
Political Science
Abstract
In this thesis, the puzzle of the United State's comparatively low gasoline tax rate is considered. Following a historical review of the development of the American gasoline tax over the previous 86 years, an explanation based on interests, values, institutions, and historic happenstance is offered. Anti-gasoline-tax-actors are abnormally numerous in the United States, and uniquely American ideological trends fuel a political environment that is hostile to substantial gasoline tax increases. Further, the division of power and the decision making process, both within and between federal and state governments, have had the effect of making the passage of gasoline tax increases a politically more demanding process in the United States than in other industrialized democracies. These two attributes, combined with the pluralist system of interest articulation and key political decisions that have strengthened anti-gasoline-tax-actors, explain the stark difference in tax rate seen internationally and the exceptional American expenence.
Recommended Citation
Burbank, Nathaniel Stewart, "Explaining the American Exception The Story of the American Gasoline Tax" (2005). Theses & ETDs. 3494.
https://digitalcommons.ncf.edu/theses_etds/3494
Rights
This bibliographic record is available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication. The New College of Florida, as creator of this bibliographic record, has waived all rights to it worldwide under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights, to the extent allowed by law.