Sabotage in rent-seeking contests

This article considers the interaction between two types of effort in lobby ing contests: effort that improves the contestant's own performance (standa rd rent seeking). and effort that reduces particular rivals' performance (s abotage). Due to a positive externality, sabotage is a "small number" pheno menon. Sabotage may increase lobbying efforts and the dissipation rate in l obbying contests compared to a situation in which sabotage is not feasible.