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Do Elections Matter for Economic Performance?

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  • Paul Collier
  • Anke Hoeffler

Abstract

type="main" xml:id="obes12054-abs-0001"> In mature democracies, elections discipline leaders to deliver good economic performance. Since the fall of the Soviet Union, most developing countries also hold elections, but these are often marred by illicit tactics. Using a new global data set, this article investigates whether these illicit tactics are merely blemishes or substantially undermine the economic efficacy of elections. We show that illicit tactics are widespread, and that they reduce the incentive for governments to deliver good economic performance. Our analysis also suggests that in societies with regular free and fair elections, leaders do not matter for economic growth.

Suggested Citation

  • Paul Collier & Anke Hoeffler, 2015. "Do Elections Matter for Economic Performance?," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 77(1), pages 1-21, February.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:obuest:v:77:y:2015:i:1:p:1-21
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1111/obes.2015.77.issue-1
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Olivier Sterck, 2020. "Fighting for Votes: Theory and Evidence on the Causes of Electoral Violence," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 87(347), pages 844-883, July.
    2. David Mitchell, 2023. "Covid-19 and the 2020 presidential election," Constitutional Political Economy, Springer, vol. 34(2), pages 188-209, June.
    3. Prichard, Wilson, 2016. "Electoral Competitiveness, Tax Bargaining and Political Incentives in Developing Countries: Evidence from Political Budget Cycles Affecting Taxation," Working Papers 13713, Institute of Development Studies, International Centre for Tax and Development.
    4. Niclas Berggren & Christian Bjørnskov, 2022. "Political institutions and academic freedom: evidence from across the world," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 190(1), pages 205-228, January.
    5. Samer Matta & Michael Bleaney & Simon Appleton, 2022. "The economic impact of political instability and mass civil protest," Economics and Politics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(1), pages 253-270, March.
    6. Sever, Can & Yücel, Emekcan, 2022. "The effects of elections on macroprudential policy," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(2), pages 507-533.

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