scholarly journals Distributive Politics and Electoral Incentives: Evidence from Seven US State Legislatures

2012 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toke S Aidt ◽  
Julia Shvets
Keyword(s):  
Public Services ◽  
State Legislatures ◽  
Distributive Politics ◽  
Term Limit ◽  
Us States ◽  
Common Pool ◽  
Electoral Incentives ◽  
Unique Data ◽  
The Common ◽  
Legislative Districts

We study the effect of electoral incentives on the allocation of public services across legislative districts. We develop a model in which elections encourage legislators to cater to parochial interests and thus aggravate the common pool problem. Using unique data from seven US states, we study how the amount of funding that a legislator channels to his district changes when he faces a term limit. We find that legislators bring less pork to their district when they cannot seek re-election. Consistent with the Law of 1/N, this last term reduction in funding is smaller in states with many legislative districts. (JEL D72, H70)

scholarly journals Electoral incentives and distributive politics in young democracies: Evidence from Chile

2021 ◽  
Vol 73 ◽  
pp. 102377
Author(s):  
Xabier Gainza ◽  
Felipe Livert ◽  
Raymundo Jesús Mogollón
Keyword(s):  
Distributive Politics ◽  
Electoral Incentives

scholarly journals Electoral Incentives and the Allocation of Public Funds

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frederico Finan ◽  
Maurizio Mazzocco
Keyword(s):  
Electoral System ◽  
Policy Reforms ◽  
Public Funds ◽  
Term Limit ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Projects ◽  
Electoral Incentives ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The One ◽  
The Cost

Abstract Politicians allocate public resources in ways that maximize political gains, and potentially at the cost of lower welfare. In this paper, we quantify these welfare costs in the context of Brazil’s federal legislature, which grants its members a budget to fund public projects within their states. Using data from the state of Roraima, we estimate a model of politicians’ allocation decisions and find that 26.8% of the public funds allocated by legislators are distorted relative to a social planner’s allocation. We then use the model to simulate three potential policy reforms to the electoral system: the adoption of approval voting, imposing a one-term limit, and redistricting. We find that a one-term limit and redistricting are both effective at reducing distortions. The one-term limit policy, however, increases corruption, which makes it a welfare-reducing policy.

Property Rights for the Common Pool

2014 ◽  
pp. 53-91
Author(s):  
Terry L. Anderson ◽  
Gary D. Libecap
Keyword(s):  
Property Rights ◽  
Common Pool ◽  
The Common

scholarly journals Presidential Particularism and US Trade Politics

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 265-281 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth S. Lowande ◽  
Jeffery A. Jenkins ◽  
Andrew J. Clarke
Keyword(s):  
Public Policy ◽  
Foreign Affairs ◽  
Distributive Politics ◽  
Early 20Th Century ◽  
Trade Policies ◽  
Electoral Incentives ◽  
Trade Politics ◽  
Domestic Spending ◽  
Grant Allocation ◽  
To Receive

Research on presidential distributive politics focuses almost exclusively on federal domestic spending. Yet, presidential influence on public policy extends well-beyond grant allocation. Since the early 20th Century, for example, the president has had substantial discretion to adjust tariff schedules and non-tariff barriers “with the stroke of a pen.” These trade adjustments via presidential directive allow us to test the logic of presidential particularism in an area of policy understudied among presidency scholars. We examine unilateral adjustments to US trade policies between 1917 and 2006, with a detailed analysis of those made between 1986 and 2006, and find that presidents—in accordance with electoral incentives—strategically allocate trade protections to industries in politically valuable states. In general, states in which the president lacks a comfortable electoral majority are systematically more likely to receive protectionist unilateral orders. Overall, our results show that the president’s distributive imperative extends into the realm of foreign affairs, an arena in which the president has substantial authority to influence public policy.

Ideas, Institutions and the Policies of Governments: a Comparative Analysis: Part III

1973 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 409-423 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony King
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Public Policy ◽  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Public Services ◽  
The United States ◽  
Welfare States ◽  
Common Assumption ◽  
Role Of The State ◽  
The Common

III THE PATTERN EXPLAINED In part I of this paper we described the gross pattern of public policy in our five countries. In part II we looked at how the pattern developed in each of the countries. We noticed that the countries have pursued policies that diverge widely, at least with respect to the size of the direct operating role of the State in the provision of public services. We also noticed that the United States differs from the four other countries far more than they do from each other. These findings will not have come as a great surprise to anybody, although some readers may have been surprised – in view of the common assumption that all major western countries are ‘welfare states’ – to discover just how much the countries differ and what different histories they have had.

Have you Heard? Newsworthy items from the field

2018 ◽  
Vol 100 (2) ◽  
pp. 59-61
Keyword(s):  
Language Arts ◽  
English Language ◽  
State Legislatures ◽  
College Education ◽  
State Standards ◽  
Colleges Of Education ◽  
Federal Financial Aid ◽  
Language Arts Instruction ◽  
Scholarship Program ◽  
The Common

The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) released a report on the teacher preparation, research, and service happening at colleges of education. Far fewer U.S. students than European students are studying foreign languages. A study of the Indiana Choice Scholarship Program shows reduced math achievement among students using vouchers to attend private schools. Education Week presents stories of and data on incidents of hate and discrimination in schools. Students can now use their mobile devices to apply for federal financial aid for college. Education Week is tracking teachers who are running for state legislatures. A Thomas B. Fordham Institute survey examines whether and how English language arts instruction has changed since the launch of the Common Core State Standards.

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