dead hand vs dead hand of the past

dead hand and dead hand of the past both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
dead hand	Yes	No	No	No
dead hand of the past	Yes	No	No	No

As nouns, dead hand and dead hand of the past are synonyms defined as:

dead hand and dead hand of the past: the oppressive influence of past events or decisions

Other synonyms of dead hand include mortmain.

dead hand (noun)	dead hand of the past (noun)
the oppressive influence of past events or decisions	the oppressive influence of past events or decisions
real property held inalienably (as by an ecclesiastical corporation)