rent-seeking

or rent seek·ing

[ rent-see-king ]

noun

, Economics.

1. the act or process of using one’s assets and resources to increase one’s share of existing wealth without creating new wealth.
2. (specifically) the act or process of exploiting the political process or manipulating the economic environment to increase one’s revenue or profits:

   Rent-seeking by lobbyists succeeded in obtaining favorable tariff treatment for the company’s exports.

Other Words From

• rent-seeker noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of rent-seeking¹

First recorded in 1970–75; (economic) rent + seeking

Example Sentences

The game of rent-seeking that Fisher has played with Oakland and Las Vegas is every bit as humiliating for taxpayers as the Bills and Raiders deals.

From Los Angeles Times

“Rather than seeking to compete fairly,” Mr. Feldman told him, “I see what you’re doing as rent-seeking behavior, pure and simple.”

From New York Times

One might argue, as such, that the problem being demonstrated is in fact the incentive for firms in a relatively unregulated economy to engage in “rent-seeking,” i.e., creating captive markets in which they can remain profitable without innovating or offering quality products simply because their customers have no other options.

From Slate

But since the charity stopped using it, he said, the building had become a target for rent-seeking syndicates.

From Reuters

Ramaswamy and Kennedy aren’t the first would-be candidates unprepared for the campaign spotlight whom rent-seeking political advisors and other shills have paraded past the fans.

From Los Angeles Times