Path Dependence and Amtrak: How the Nation’s Passenger Railroad Has Stayed On Track

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2011
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Haverford College. Department of Political Science
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Thesis
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The Herman M. Somers Prize in Political Science
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eng
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Haverford users only
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Abstract
Forty years ago, Amtrak was formed from the ashes of a failing industry as a temporary compromise between those seeking government intervention and those content to let passenger service end. Amtrak’s creation brought with it path dependence that has constrained policy options. This path dependence, formed through imposition of obligations, Amtrak’s distributive nature, and conflicting goals of Amtrak’s creation, has ensured Amtrak’s survival in the face of political pressures from both sides. The implications of this process indicate that policy inception, even of programs intended to be temporary, can have lasting impacts that restrict options and ensure policy continuation.
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