What does regulatory capture refer to in bureaucratic politics?

• A. When agencies always favor public interests over industry concerns.
• B. When industry interests dominate an agency, leading regulations that favor the industry rather than the public interest.
• C. When Congress directly writes all agency rules.
• D. When the public chooses the agencies' leadership.

Answer: (B)

Regulatory capture occurs when the industry an agency is supposed to regulate ends up shaping the agency’s actions more than the public does. The industry gains influence through lobbying, access to policymakers, and the revolving door of staff moving between firms and the agency. That influence can steer rules, standards, and enforcement in ways that benefit incumbents, reduce competition, or dilute protections, rather than serving the general public interest.

That’s why the best description is the one where industry interests come to dominate an agency, resulting in regulations that favor the industry instead of the public. The idea isn’t about always prioritizing public welfare, rules made directly by Congress, or the public choosing leadership; it’s about industry power skewing regulatory outcomes.