Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/85912 
Year of Publication: 
2003
Series/Report no.: 
Tinbergen Institute Discussion Paper No. 03-067/1
Publisher: 
Tinbergen Institute, Amsterdam and Rotterdam
Abstract: 
Democracies delegate substantial decision power to politicians. Using a model in which an incumbent can design, examine and implement public policies, we show that examination takes place in spite of, rather than thanks to, elections. Elections are needed as a carrot and a stick to motivate politicians, yet politicians who are overly interested in re-election shy away from policy examination. Our analysis sheds light on the distance created in mature democracies between the political process and the production of policy relevant information; on the role played by probing into candidates' past; and on the possibility of crowding out desirable political behaviour by increasing the value of holding office.
Subjects: 
Democracy
Media
Policy Examination
Multiple Tasks
Information
Elections
JEL: 
D72
D78
D83
Document Type: 
Working Paper

Files in This Item:
File
Size
418.96 kB





Items in EconStor are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.