Reduced inequality in human capital may reduce appropriationfrom the rich. They may therefore favor policies such as incometransfers and mandatory schooling which equalize human capital.Comparing several such policies, we find that mandatory schooling leads to higher incomes for both the rich...

Reduced inequality in human capital may reduce appropriationfrom the rich. They may therefore favor policies such as incometransfers and mandatory schooling which equalize human capital.Comparing several such policies, we find that mandatory schooling leads to higher incomes for both the rich...

A government may adopt extreme policies (policies lying outside the interval between the ideal points of the political parties) for electoral purposes. It can benefit when a change in policy is costly and when the opposing party cannot commit to maintaining the status quo.

Analyses of campaign contributions usually follow the Downsian model to suppose that candidates seek contributions to win elections. This paper takes the opposite approach, by assuming that each candidate aims to maximize the contributions he collects. A citizen contributes to a candidate with...

Reduced inequality in human capital may reduce appropriation from the rich. They may therefore favor policies such as income transfers and mandatory schooling which equalize human capital. Comparing several such policies, we find that mandatory schooling leads to higher incomes for both the rich...