In the course of history a large number of politicians has been assassinated. A rational choice analysis is used to distinguish the expected marginal benefits of killing, and the marginal cost of attacking a politician. The comparative analysis of various equilibria helps us to gain insights into specific historical events. The analysis suggests that – in addition to well-known security measures – an extension of democracy, a rule by a committee of several politicians, more decentralization via the division of power and federalism, and a strengthening of civil society significantly reduce politicians’ probability of being attacked and killed.
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Paper provided by Center for Research in Economics, Management and the Arts (CREMA) in its series CREMA Working Paper Series with number
2007-08.
Find related papers by JEL classification: D01 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Microeconomic Behavior: Underlying Principles D70 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - General K14 - Law and Economics - - Basic Areas of Law - - - Criminal Law K42 - Law and Economics - - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior - - - Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law Z10 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - General
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