We study the effects of unequal representation in the interest-group system on the degree of information transmission between a lobbyist and a policy-maker. Employing a dynamic cheap-talk model in which the lobbyist cares instrumentally about his reputation for truth telling, we show that the larger the inequality, the less information can credibly be transmitted to the policy-maker. We also investigate the effects of inequality on welfare, and discuss the welfare effects of institutions that increase transparency but which, as an unintended side effect, lower the lobbyist’s incentives for truth telling.
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References listed on IDEAS Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
Morten Bennedsen & Sven E. Feldmann, 2002.
"Lobbying Legislatures,"
Journal of Political Economy,
University of Chicago Press, vol. 110(4), pages 919-948, August.
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Other versions:
Morten Bennedsen & Sven E. Feldmann, 2000.
"Lobbying Legislatures,"
CIE Discussion Papers
2000-04, University of Copenhagen. Department of Economics. Centre for Industrial Economics.
[Downloadable!]
Bennedsen, Morten & Feldmann, Sven E., 2000.
"Lobbying Legislatures,"
Working Papers
07-2000, Copenhagen Business School, Department of Economics.
[Downloadable!]
Vijay Krishna & John Morgan, 1999.
"A Model of Expertise,"
Working Papers
154, Princeton University, Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Discussion Papers in Economics..
[Downloadable!]