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Political Biases in Lobbying under Asymmetric Information

Author

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  • David Martimort
  • Aggey Semenov

Abstract

This paper introduces asymmetric information in a pluralistic model of interest groups competition and analyzes its impact on policy biases. Lobbying groups are uninformed on a decision maker's preferences and use nonlinear contributions not only to compete for the agent's services but also to learn about his preferences in an otherwise standard common agency model of lobbying. Asymmetricinformation can be either on the decision maker's ideal point (horizontal differentiation) or on the strength of his own preferences for ideology (vertical differentiation). At equilibrium, asymmetric information redistributes bargaining powers between interest groups and the decision maker in non-trivial ways that may depend on the kind of informational asymmetry which is postulated. Asymmetric information tends to mitigate the influence of interest groups and contributions might be significantly reduced. Interest groups no longer contribute for a change in policy what it is worth to them as under complete information. Contributions incorporate a discount related to the group's ability to solve the asymmetric information problem. (JEL: D72, D82) (c) 2007 by the European Economic Association.

Suggested Citation

  • David Martimort & Aggey Semenov, 2007. "Political Biases in Lobbying under Asymmetric Information," Journal of the European Economic Association, MIT Press, vol. 5(2-3), pages 614-623, 04-05.
    • Handle: RePEc:tpr:jeurec:v:5:y:2007:i:2-3:p:614-623
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Schnakenberg, Keith & Turner, Ian R, 2023. "Formal Theories of Special Interest Influence," SocArXiv 47e26, Center for Open Science.
    2. Graham Mallard, 2014. "Static Common Agency And Political Influence: An Evaluative Survey," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(1), pages 17-35, February.
    3. Rafael Lima & Humberto Moreira & Thierry Verdier, 2008. "Lobbying and Information Transmission in Customs Unions," Working Papers 09_01, Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Economia, Administração e Contabilidade de Ribeirão Preto.
    4. Achim Voss & Mark Schopf, 2018. "Special interest politics: Contribution schedules vs. Nash bargaining," Economics and Politics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(2), pages 256-273, July.
    5. Octavian Strimbu, 2022. "Partial Verifiability Induced Contests," Cahiers de Recherches Economiques du Département d'économie 22.05, Université de Lausanne, Faculté des HEC, Département d’économie.
    6. Achim Voss & Mark Schopf, 2016. "Special Interest Politics: Contribution Schedules versus Nash Bargaining," Working Papers Dissertations 27, Paderborn University, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics.
    7. Strimbu, Octavian & Gonzalez, Patrick, 2013. "Does Transparency Reduce Corruption?," Working Papers 158368, University of Laval, Center for Research on the Economics of the Environment, Agri-food, Transports and Energy (CREATE).
    8. Martimort, David & Semenov, Aggey, 2008. "Ideological uncertainty and lobbying competition," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(3-4), pages 456-481, April.
    9. Bils, Peter & Duggan, John & Judd, Gleason, 2021. "Lobbying and policy extremism in repeated elections," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).
    10. Manjhi, Ganesh & Mehra, Meeta Keswani, 2017. "Dynamics of the Economics of Special Interest Politics," Working Papers 17/206, National Institute of Public Finance and Policy.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • D82 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design

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