The Cost of Doing Politics

Using quantitative and qualitative evidence, Sumner shows how consumer boycotts can work to dissuade companies from donating money to politicians, but may also encourage companies to attempt influence by largely invisible means. Boycotts do not work as many people expect - by threatening sales. Instead, Sumner shows how boycotts are less a statement of consumer behaviour than a way for people to signal their political inclinations, and they primarily hurt companies by tarnishing their reputation. Political influence is about building relationships, which means that companies have many more options for influence than just PAC contributions and formal lobbying. With these options available, companies can decide how to influence politics when they need to, and the tarnish of boycotts to a company's image can push some businesses to pursue options that are less noticeable to the public.

'This book shows how the ever-present 'threat of public backlash' induces firms to obscure some lobbying-type actions aimed at political influence, to avoid some others altogether, and conversely intentionally to publicize a few others or at least undertake them in plain daylight without effort to hide. It convincingly establishes that 'public backlash' against firm political action (influence-seeking) is a form of political speech that strongly influences how, and how much, corporate political influence is exerted. Jane Lawrence Sumner's The Cost of Doing Politics is outstanding, and important, scholarship on the powerful role of popular action in mitigating problematic firm lobbying and government influence.' Robert J. Franzese, Jr, Department of Political Science, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

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