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A Theory of Political Entrenchment

Author

Listed:
  • Gilles Saint-Paul

    (New York University [Abu Dhabi] - NYU - NYU System, PSE - Paris School of Economics - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - ENPC - École nationale des ponts et chaussées - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement, PSE - Paris-Jourdan Sciences Economiques - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - INRA - Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - ENPC - École nationale des ponts et chaussées - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • Davide Ticchi

    (IMT Institute for Advanced Studies [Lucca])

  • Andréa Vindigni

    (Collegio Carlo Alberto - UNITO - Università degli studi di Torino = University of Turin, IMT Institute for Advanced Studies [Lucca])

Abstract

Can an incumbent political party increase its chances at re-election by implementing inefficient policies that harm its constituency? This paper studies the possibility of such a phenomenon, which we label political entrenchment. We use a two-party dynamic model of redistribution with probabilistic voting. Political entrenchment by the Left occurs only if incumbency rents are sufficiently high. Low-skill citizens may vote for this party even though they rationally expect the adoption of these policies. We discuss: the possibility of entrenchment by the Right; the scope for commitment to avoid entrenchment policies; and the effect of state capacity, income inequality and party popularity on the likelihood of entrenchment. We illustrate our theory with a number of historical examples.

Suggested Citation

  • Gilles Saint-Paul & Davide Ticchi & Andréa Vindigni, 2016. "A Theory of Political Entrenchment," Post-Print halshs-01380198, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:halshs-01380198
    DOI: 10.1111/ecoj.12215
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    Blog mentions

    As found by EconAcademics.org, the blog aggregator for Economics research:
    1. Leftist Tories?
      by chris dillow in Stumbling and Mumbling on 2013-02-18 20:23:46
    2. Wnated: class consciousness
      by chris dillow in Stumbling and Mumbling on 2014-11-23 18:29:24
    3. When failure succeeds
      by chris in Stumbling and Mumbling on 2019-04-19 11:56:53
    4. On Tory paradoxes
      by chris in Stumbling and Mumbling on 2019-09-08 12:58:39

    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Daniel J. Smith, 2020. "Turn-taking in office," Constitutional Political Economy, Springer, vol. 31(2), pages 205-226, June.
    2. Saint-Paul, Gilles, 2021. "Pareto-improving structural reforms," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 194(C).
    3. Matthias Wrede, 2019. "The incumbent’s preference for imperfect commitment," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 180(3), pages 285-300, September.
    4. Daniel J. Smith & George R. Crowley & J. Sebastian Leguizamon, 2021. "Long live the doge? Death as a term limit on Venetian chief executives," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 188(3), pages 333-359, September.
    5. Christian Roessler & Sandro Shelegia & Bruno Strulovici, 2018. "Collective Commitment," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 126(1), pages 347-380.
    6. Gheibi, Shahryar & Fay, Scott, 2021. "The impact of supply disruption risk on a retailer’s pricing and procurement strategies in the presence of a substitute product," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 97(3), pages 359-376.
    7. Jan Fałkowski & Grażyna Bukowska, 2016. "Monopolizacja władzy a wyniki gospodarcze na poziomie Polski lokalnej," Gospodarka Narodowa. The Polish Journal of Economics, Warsaw School of Economics, issue 2, pages 91-120.
    8. Gersbach, Hans & Tejada, Oriol, 2018. "A Reform Dilemma in polarized democracies," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 160(C), pages 148-158.
    9. Rodriguez Acosta, Mauricio, 2016. "Essays in political economy and resource economic : A macroeconomic approach," Other publications TiSEM 1e39ef1b-43a2-4f95-892c-6, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    10. Manuel Oechslin & Mauricio Rodriguez, 2021. "Fiscal weakness, the (under-) provision of public services, and institutional reform," Conflict Management and Peace Science, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 38(1), pages 20-44, January.
    11. Maxime Menuet & Patrick Villieu, 2021. "Reputation and the “need for enemies”," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 72(4), pages 1049-1089, November.
    12. Da Silva, António Dias & Givone, Audrey & Sondermann, David, 2017. "When do countries implement structural reforms?," Working Paper Series 2078, European Central Bank.

    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • P16 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Capitalist Economies - - - Capitalist Institutions; Welfare State

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