This paper generalizes the model of collective rent-seeking over a pub
lic good. Expanding the rent seeker's consumption bundle to include pr
eferences over the public good and a private good, our results suggest
collective rent-seeking is positively related to group size. Although
free riding exists within a group, there is not a one-for-one tradeof
f. In addition, rent seeking increases with wealth. Finally, total eff
ort expended by both groups increases if either group increases in mem
bership size, except in the case of an extremely lopsided contest. The
key condition underlying these results is that the marginal utility o
f the public good is not inversely related to the private good.