A short step between democracy and dictatorship

Antonio Quesada

MPRA Paper from University Library of Munich, Germany

Abstract: The majority rule and the hierarchically dictatorial rule are both characterized when preferences are defined over two alternatives. The majority rule is characterized in terms of seven axioms. The hierarchically dictatorial rule is characterized in terms of six of these seven axioms and the negation of the seventh, so each rule can be seen as obtained from the other by negating just one of the axioms. The pivotal axiom holds that, for societies with at least three members, the frequency with which indifference is the result of the preference aggregation must be smaller than the frequency with which one of the alternatives is declared preferred to the other.

Keywords: Social welfare function; majority rule; dictatorship; axiomatic characterization; two alternatives. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D71 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2009-12-19
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cdm and nep-pol
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Journal Article: A short step between democracy and dictatorship (2012)
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