The Decoy Effect of Far Right Parties in English Local Elections
The 'decoy effect' is a concept readily understood in behavioral economics, but not often examined in political science contexts, and to my knowledge rarely in the setting of vote choice. This paper examines the prevalence of the decoy effect with multivariate models of English local elections dating back to 1973. I argue that in multiparty settings, the presence of a far right party on the ballot enhances overall support for the right. This is inconsistent with the predictions of standard spatial models, which suggest that support on the right would be split. It is further predicted that the decoy effect is more prevalent amongst those with weaker partisan attachments, and lower levels of education and income. The function at work is relativity; the inclusion of a radical right party next to the “moderate� party of the right makes the latter appear both moderate in fact as well as theory, and more appealing as a result
Year of publication: |
2011
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Authors: | Brockington, David |
Publisher: |
[2011]: [S.l.] : SSRN |
Subject: | Politische Partei | Political party | Großbritannien | United Kingdom | Kommunalwahl | Local election | Wahlverhalten | Voting behaviour | Wahl | Election |
Description of contents: | Abstract [papers.ssrn.com] |
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