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on Collective Decision-Making |
| By: | Felix Arnold; Ronny Freier; Magdalena Pallauf; David Stadelmann |
| Abstract: | We analyze a constitutional change in the German State of Bavaria where citizens, not politicians, granted themselves more say in politics at the local level through a constitutional initiative at the state level. This institutional setting allows us to focus on revealed preferences for direct democracy and to identify factors which explain this preference. Empirical results suggests support for direct democracy is rather related to dissatisfaction with representative democracy in general than with an elected governing party. |
| Keywords: | Direct democracy, Voting, Initiative, Parties |
| JEL: | D72 H70 |
| Date: | 2014 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:diw:diwwpp:dp1435&r=cdm |
| By: | Ben-Yashar, Ruth (Bar-Ilan University); Danziger, Leif (Ben Gurion University) |
| Abstract: | We consider a framework where the optimal decision rule determining the collective choice depends in a simple way on the decision makers' posterior probabilities of a particular state of nature. Nevertheless, voting is generally an inefficient way to make collective choices and this paper sheds light on the relationship between the optimal decision rule and voting mechanisms. The paper derives the conditions under which the optimal decision rule is equivalent to some well-known voting procedure (weighted supermajority, weighted majority, and simple majority) and shows that these are very stringent. The paper also considers more general voting procedures, as for example allowing for abstentions, and shows that the conditions for reaching the optimal collective choice remain very stringent. |
| Keywords: | voting rule, common goal, collective choice |
| JEL: | D70 D71 |
| Date: | 2014–12 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp8706&r=cdm |
| By: | Varma, Vijaya Krushna Varma |
| Abstract: | This expanded banking system will help the Election Commission conduct voting in General elections on single day and in single phase. All elections from panchayats to Parliament can be conducted with the help of expanded banking system with minimum cost and without rigging and impersonate voting. |
| Keywords: | elections; politics |
| JEL: | H1 H10 |
| Date: | 2014–02–10 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:60944&r=cdm |
| By: | Davide Morisi |
| Abstract: | In a context of expanded media choice, understanding how voters select and interpret information to make voting decisions acquires substantial relevance. Drawing on former research in political psy-chology and political behaviour, the present study explores how provision of information affects voting intentions in the context of the Scottish independence referendum, by adopting a between-subjects experimental design. Results show that provision of information a) reduces indecision about how to vote, especially when subjects are able to select the arguments to read; b) increases the likelihood to vote Yes, especially when subjects are confronted with a balanced set of arguments; c) interacts with individual-level elements and increases the likelihood to vote Yes especially among those who are more politically active and more emotionally involved in the issue of independence. Provision of information also slightly increases the likelihood to vote No, but this occurs in general only when subjects are able to select the arguments to read and only in a very few cases. At the the-oretical level, results provide further evidence supporting the mechanism of selective exposure and the so-called ‘prior attitude effect’, but highlight the need to interpret these mechanisms within a broader framework which takes into account individual-level mediating factors. |
| Date: | 2014–09–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erp:euirsc:p0403&r=cdm |
| By: | Anna Y. Kulkova (National Research University Higher School of Economics) |
| Abstract: | The paper argues that religiosity is one of the potential determinants of political participation in Russia. A complex model of religiosity is applied, which treats individual religiosity as both belonging to religious tradition and religious behavior, while political participation includes voting, attending demonstrations, signing petitions and participating in electoral campaigns. The aim of this research is to identify whether there is a difference in political participation between religious and non-religious Russians, and between followers of different religious traditions and atheists. Secondly, it is important to explore which of the measurements of religiosity, religious tradition or religious behavior have the most powerful effect on Russians’ political participation. The data for the statistical analysis is from the European Social Survey (6th round), which includes representatives of major religious traditions in Russia. |
| Keywords: | political participation, religion and politics, religiosity, political behavior, political activism. |
| JEL: | Z |
| Date: | 2014 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hig:wpaper:20/ps/2014&r=cdm |
| By: | Skye Christensen; Gabrielle Bardall |
| Abstract: | Conventional knowledge on the effectiveness of gender quotas for enhancing women’s political participation has, to date, been unanimous on the superiority of quotas in proportional representation (PR) systems. Yet this view overlooks the many possible alternatives to implementing gender quotas in single-member district (SMD) systems. This paper studies gender quotas (or temporary special measures, TSMs) in SMD electoral systems. Drawing on case examples from Uganda, France, India and elsewhere, we refute the myth of the incompatibility of quotas in SMDs. Our research investigates and presents multiple ways in which quotas can be successfully implemented in SMDs. |
| Keywords: | Gender quotas, temporary special measures (TSMs), single-member districts, electoral systems, France, India, Uganda. |
| Date: | 2014–12 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:rsc:rsceui:2014/104&r=cdm |
| By: | Philip Brookins (Department of Economics, Florida State University); Dmitry Ryvkin (Department of Economics, Florida State University) |
| Abstract: | We prove the existence of monotone pure strategy Bayesian equilibria in group contests under individual-level and group-level private information. For the latter type, we develop a novel approach reducing group contests to contests between individuals with multi-dimensional types, with far-reaching implications for the existence and, in some cases, uniqueness of equilibrium in group contests with lottery contest success functions, both under group-level private information and complete information, and in symmetric perfectly discriminating group contests. |
| Keywords: | contest, group, incomplete information |
| JEL: | D72 C72 C02 |
| Date: | 2014–12 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fsu:wpaper:wp2014_12_02&r=cdm |
| By: | Pek Koon Heng |
| Abstract: | The ASEAN Way of security cooperation – based on principles of sovereignty, non-intervention, peaceful resolution of conflict, and consultation and consensus decision-making – has maintained intra-ASEAN harmony since the grouping’s formation in 1967. It has also enabled ASEAN to play a central role in regional integration by successfully engaging external major powers in an overlapping regional network of ASEAN-led organizations such as the ASEAN Regional Forum, East Asia Summit and ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting Plus. However, exercising decisive influence within the wider Asia-Pacific environment is beyond ASEAN’s limited strategic resources. Moreover, the consensus-seeking, shallowly institutionalized ASEAN Way approach has seemed poorly equipped to handle Chinese assertive divide-and-rule diplomacy that has accompanied its power projection in the South China Sea. As China mounts its maritime claims and seeks to expand its regional influence relative to the United States, ASEAN is challenged to maintain intra-ASEAN unity, deepen intra-ASEAN integration and effectively engage the United States, China and other powers in safeguarding peace and stability in the region. Despite shortcomings in the ASEAN Way of security cooperation, it is argued that, given the inability of China and Japan to provide cooperative leadership in establishing an alternative multilateral security mechanism, ASEAN will continue to serve as the default instrumentality for maintaining a modest level of multilateral security cooperation in the Asia-Pacific. |
| Date: | 2014–12–18 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erp:euirsc:p0418&r=cdm |
| By: | Roman Horváth (Institute of Economic Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University in Prague, Smetanovo nábreží 6, 111 01 Prague 1, Czech Republic; Institute for East and Southeast European Studies, Regensburg, Germany); Júlia Jonášová (Institute of Economic Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University in Prague, Smetanovo nábreží 6, 111 01 Prague 1, Czech Republic) |
| Abstract: | We examine whether central banks’ voting records help predict the future course of monetary policy in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Sweden and the United Kingdom, controlling for financial market expectations. Unlike previous research, first, we examine the period of the global financial crisis, characterized by a high level of uncertainty, and second, we examine the predictive power of voting records at longer time horizons, i.e., not only for the next monetary policy meeting. We find that voting records predict the policy rate set at the next meeting in all central banks that are recognized as independent. In some central banks, voting records are found—before, but not during, the financial crisis—to be informative about monetary policy even at more distant time horizons. |
| Keywords: | voting records, financial crisis, central bank, monetary policy |
| JEL: | D78 E52 E58 |
| Date: | 2014–12 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fau:wpaper:wp2014_35&r=cdm |