We examine the role of judicial policy preferences in influencing whether judges in Nazi Germany sentenced defendants charged with serious political offences to death. We find that judicial policy preferences, measured by the depth of the ideological commitment of the judge to the Nazi Party worldview, were an important determinant of whether judges imposed the death sentence. Judges more committed to the Nazi Party were more likely to impose the death sentence on defendants belonging to organised political opposition groups, those accused of violent resistance and those with characteristics to which Nazism was intolerant.

The tools of econometric analysis and inferential statistics reveal that senior Nazi-era judges in pre-war Germany exhibited statistically significant levels of discretion in their sentencing of individuals convicted of high treason or treason. In fact, some of these judges, though appointed to the People’s Court to serve the Nazi state, were inclined to show relative leniency, within certain political limits, when taking into account the characteristics, backgrounds, affiliations, actions, and experiences of those whom they convicted. A modicum of judicial autonomy can co-exist with dictatorship so long as it enhances the efficiency of the courts and does not impugn the regime.

No abstract

No abstract

This article describes a student group project (Music for Econ) which synthesizes music with economics and is a great way to connect with your audience. We trace the journey of Music for Econ from its inception as a Pop-Up video in the early 2000s through to the creation of a Music for Econ library on Critical Commons. Music for Econ is a pedagogical device which can be used to demonstrate the everyday application of economics and help unlock student creativity. Consequently, we provide the instructor with a do it yourself (DIY) manual, which shows them how to set up the project, customize it depending on the size of their class, and how to avoid common pitfalls. We also include an end of project survey template for reference and future use in an appendix. More broadly, Music for Econ is simply fun to watch if you like music and enjoy leaning about economics. JEL Classifications: A20, A21, A22