Distributional consequences of political representation

Nicola Maaser and Thomas Stratmann

European Economic Review, 2016, vol. 82, issue C, 187-211

Abstract: We investigate, both theoretically and empirically, the effect of the geographic concentration of representatives on the geographic distribution of fiscal transfers. Our theoretical model predicts that more representatives residing in a geographic area leads to higher government funds to that area. Our empirical analysis uses the fact that in Germany, due to Germany׳s electoral rules in state elections, the number of representatives varies across electoral districts. Controlling for various socio-economic, demographic, and political variables and using a variety of estimation methods, we find that districts with a greater number of representatives receive more government funds.

Keywords: Representation; Redistribution; Vote-buying; Transfers; Comparative political economy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (18)

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Working Paper: Distributional Consequences of Political Representation (2014)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:eecrev:v:82:y:2016:i:c:p:187-211

DOI: 10.1016/j.euroecorev.2015.11.007

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