Progress and Perspectives in the Study of Political Selection / Ernesto Dal Bó, Frederico Finan.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Dal Bó, Ernesto.

Contributor:

National Bureau of Economic Research.

Finan, Frederico.

Series:

Working Paper Series (National Bureau of Economic Research) no. w24783.

NBER working paper series no. w24783

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource: illustrations (black and white);

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, Mass. National Bureau of Economic Research 2018.

Summary:

We provide a model of self-selection by candidates in a probabilistic voting environment to shed light on the forces shaping the quality of politicians from both the supply and demand sides of politics. The model highlights that the patterns of selection and the comparative statics of politician quality depend critically on how the costs of running for office vary for candidates with different qualities. The model offers predictions on how the quality of the political class will vary with key parameters pertaining to both the supply and demand for candidates. We use the model to frame a review of the empirical literature on political selection that has emerged in the last two decades. We contrast areas where significant progress has been made with others where important theoretical predictions remain untested or existing evidence does not allow a consensus, highlighting areas for future research.

Notes:

Print version record

June 2018.