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Fractionalization and reform: a framework of political collaboration with application to Lebanon

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  • Mounir Mahmalat

    (Dublin City University)

  • Declan Curran

    (Dublin City University)

Abstract

How does fractionalization affect political collaboration on reform? We develop a theory to explain observable variation in legislative output over time and policy areas. We show how the properties of a reform project determine the extent to which fractionalization affects political collaboration on reform. We apply our framework to the case of Lebanon and present mixed-methods evidence based on a novel comprehensive dataset of legislative activity and 32 interviews with parliamentarians, ex-ministers, and other high ranking officials. Our findings contribute to explaining ambiguous evidence in the literature on the political economy of reform.

Suggested Citation

  • Mounir Mahmalat & Declan Curran, 2020. "Fractionalization and reform: a framework of political collaboration with application to Lebanon," Economics of Governance, Springer, vol. 21(2), pages 187-214, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:ecogov:v:21:y:2020:i:2:d:10.1007_s10101-020-00237-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s10101-020-00237-4
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Reform; Political collaboration; Policymaking; Fractionalization; Lebanon;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • P48 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Other Economic Systems - - - Legal Institutions; Property Rights; Natural Resources; Energy; Environment; Regional Studies
    • K00 - Law and Economics - - General - - - General (including Data Sources and Description)
    • D78 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Positive Analysis of Policy Formulation and Implementation

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