The Role and Evolution of Central Authorities

Paul Frijters and Alexander Tieman

No 99-053/1, Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers from Tinbergen Institute

Abstract: In this paper we argue that authorities aid cooperation by means ofdirect coordination or the enforcement of re-commitment devices suchas contract laws.Credible threats of violence allow this role. In alocal interaction model, an authority forms if mutually connected individuals with sufficient combined punishment potential have signalled their willingness to form such an authority, conditional upon the willigness of others todo so. Given a specific timing of decisions, we analyse the conditions under which authorities arise and under which they evolve into a stationary state with only one or several remaining authorities.

Keywords: Central Authorities; Cooperation; Evolution; Externalities; Local Interaction (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: B25 C7 D62 D70 H1 H4 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 1999-08-05
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Related works:
Working Paper: The Role and Evolution of Central Authorities (1999)
Working Paper: The Role and Evolution of Central Authorities (1999)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:tin:wpaper:19990053

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