In this paper I analyse a probabilistic voting model where political candidates choose a direct taxation policy to maximise the probability of winning elections. Society is divided into groups which have different preferences for consumption of leisure or, in other words, are differently...

In this article we use the high-quality data coming from the Luxembourg Income Study Project, in a panel framework, to test for the effects of electoral systems on both poverty and income inequality. We find that when de degree of proportionality of an electoral system increases, inequality and...

Die Partei Die Linke hat in einem Jahr geschafft, was ihre beiden Vorgängerparteien, WASG und PDS, vergeblich versucht haben: Eine in Ost- und Westdeutschland erfolgreiche Kraft politisch links neben der SPD zu etablieren. Auf der Basis der Daten des Sozio-oekonomischen Panels (SOEP) wird...

Die Grünen befinden sich seit Monaten in einem Umfragehoch. Derzeit erscheint es nicht ausgeschlossen, dass die Partei nach den anstehenden Landtagswahlen erstmals einen Ministerpräsidenten oder eine Regierende Bürgermeisterin stellt. Die Spekulation hierüber wird vor allem durch...

We model the decision problems faced by the members of societies whose new members are determined by vote. We adopt a number of simplifying assumptions: the founders and the candidates are fixed; the society operates for a fixed number of periods and holds elections at the beginning of each period;...

Respondents of contingent valuation surveys may place a null value on the public good, for reasons that differ from a genuine indifference to the good, but that can be interpreted as a "protest": either against the interview, or the public management, or both. A good survey design can...

This paper looks at the efficiency implications of differences in secondary school design. The key aspect we focus on is the degree of differentiation between vocational and general education. Using a simple model of endogenous job composition, we study the interaction between relative demand...

In contrast to national elections, both parties and voters are assumed to think that ‘less is at stake’ in European elections: Campaigns are less intense, turnout is lower, and citizens are more inclined to ‘vote with their hearts’. The latter should be reflected in differing rationales...