Informatization, Voter Turnout and Income Inequality

Ryo Arawatari

No 07-28, Discussion Papers in Economics and Business from Osaka University, Graduate School of Economics

Abstract: In recent years, voter turnout has been decreasing in most industrial countries, and about 40% of all electors abstain from voting. This may affect income inequality and the GDP growth rate through a redistribution policy determined by majority voting. In this paper, we explore the reasons for this continuing decrease in voter turnout and assess its social costs. We conclude that informatization lowers voter turnout by generating an information overload, and that a decrease in voter turnout lowers GDP growth by limiting income redistribution.

Keywords: Income inequality; Information; Informatization; Voter turnout; Voting (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D31 O15 P16 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 41 pages
Date: 2007-07
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cdm, nep-pol and nep-soc
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Journal Article: Informatization, voter turnout and income inequality (2009)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:osk:wpaper:0728

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