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The Political Economy of Financial Systems: Evidence from Suffrage Reforms in the Last Two Centuries

Author

Listed:
  • Hans Degryse
  • Thomas Lambert
  • Armin Schwienbacher

Abstract

Voting rights were initially limited to wealthy elites providing political support for stock markets. The franchise expansion induces the median voter to provide political support for banking development, as this new electorate has lower financial holdings and benefits less from the riskiness and financial returns from stock markets. Our panel data evidence covering the years 1830–1999 shows that tighter restrictions on the voting franchise induce greater stock market development, whereas a broader voting franchise is more conducive to the banking sector, consistent with Perotti and von Thadden (2006). The results are robust to controlling for other institutional arrangements and endogeneity.

Suggested Citation

  • Hans Degryse & Thomas Lambert & Armin Schwienbacher, 2018. "The Political Economy of Financial Systems: Evidence from Suffrage Reforms in the Last Two Centuries," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 128(611), pages 1433-1475, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:econjl:v:128:y:2018:i:611:p:1433-1475
    DOI: 10.1111/ecoj.12459
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. De Grauwe, Paul & Saka, Orkun & Ji, Yuemei, 2020. "Financial Policymaking after Crises: Public vs. Private Interest," CEPR Discussion Papers 15413, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    2. Slesman, Ly & Baharumshah, Ahmad Zubaidi & Azman-Saini, W.N.W., 2019. "Political institutions and finance-growth nexus in emerging markets and developing countries: A tale of one threshold," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 80-100.
    3. Stahl, Jörg R., 2023. "Changes in the electorate and firm values: Evidence from the introduction of female suffrage in Switzerland," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 386-402.
    4. Saka, Orkun & Ji, Yuemei & De Grauwe, Paul, 2021. "Financial policymaking after crises : Public vs. private interests," BOFIT Discussion Papers 10/2021, Bank of Finland, Institute for Economies in Transition.
    5. Horvath, Roman & Horvatova, Eva & Siranova, Maria, 2025. "The determinants of financial development: Evidence from Bayesian model averaging," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 49(2).
    6. Traweek, Virginia & Wardlaw, Malcolm, 2025. "Racial violence, political representation, and the threat to banks as open access institutions," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    7. Roman Horvath & Eva Horvatova & Maria Siranova, 2017. "Financial Development, Rule of Law and Wealth Inequality: Bayesian Model Averaging Evidence," Working Papers 368, Leibniz Institut für Ost- und Südosteuropaforschung (Institute for East and Southeast European Studies).
    8. Buck, Florian & Hildebrand, Nikolaus, 2014. "Elites and Bank-Based Finance: A political economy model on the emergence of financial systems," VfS Annual Conference 2014 (Hamburg): Evidence-based Economic Policy 100336, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    9. Ahmad, Muhammad Farooq & Lambert, Thomas & Martín-Flores, José M. & Romec, Arthur, 2024. "Does democracy shape international merger activity?," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).
    10. Thomas Lambert & Wolf Wagner & Eden Quxian Zhang, 2023. "Banks, Political Capital, and Growth," The Review of Corporate Finance Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 12(3), pages 613-655.
    11. Francesco Di Comite & Thomas Lambert, 2020. "Reforming Finance Under Fragmented Governments," Comparative Economic Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Association for Comparative Economic Studies, vol. 62(1), pages 105-148, March.
    12. Susan Johnson & Richard Williams, 2016. "The political economy of financial inclusion: tailoring donor policy to fit," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 34(5), pages 721-743, September.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • G10 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - General (includes Measurement and Data)
    • O16 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Financial Markets; Saving and Capital Investment; Corporate Finance and Governance
    • P16 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Capitalist Economies - - - Capitalist Institutions; Welfare State

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