Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/145059 
Year of Publication: 
2016
Series/Report no.: 
CESifo Working Paper No. 6024
Publisher: 
Center for Economic Studies and ifo Institute (CESifo), Munich
Abstract: 
This paper describes the empirical evidence on partisan politics in OECD panel studies. I elaborate on the research designs, the measurement of government ideology and why the empirical studies do not and cannot derive causal effects. Discussing about 100 panel data studies, the results indicate that leftwing and rightwing governments pursued different economic policies until the 1990s: the size and scope of government was larger when leftwing governments were in power. Partisan politics have not disappeared since the 1990s, but have certainly become less pronounced. In particular, government ideology still seems to influence policies such as privatization and market deregulation. I discuss the consequences of declining electoral cohesion and what future research needs to explore.
Subjects: 
partisan politics
government ideology
economic policy-making
declining electoral cohesion
panel data models
causal effects
JEL: 
D72
H00
C23
Document Type: 
Working Paper
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