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

Our regulatory structures too often encourage deindustrialization and rent-seeking.

From The Daily Beast

Bastiat was also wise enough to anticipate what modern economists call "rent seeking" and "rent avoidance" behavior.

From Project Gutenberg