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Political Networks across the Globe

Author

Listed:
  • Commander, Simon

    (IE Business School, Altura Partners)

  • Poupakis, Stavros

    (University College London)

Abstract

Political networks are an important feature of the political and economic landscape of countries. Despite their ubiquity and significance, information on such networks has proven hard to collect due to a pervasive lack of transparency. However, with the advent of big data and artificial intelligence, major financial services institutions are now actively collating publicly available information on politically exposed persons and their networks. In this study, we use one such data set to show how network characteristics vary across political systems. We provide results from more than 150 countries and show how the format of the network tends to reflect the extent of democratisation of each country. We also outline further avenues for research using such data.

Suggested Citation

  • Commander, Simon & Poupakis, Stavros, 2020. "Political Networks across the Globe," IZA Discussion Papers 13103, IZA Network @ LISER.
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp13103
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Simon Commander & Ruta Prieskienyte, 2022. "The political economy of Kazakhstan: A case of good economics, bad politics?," Russian Journal of Economics, ARPHA Platform, vol. 8(2), pages 122-158, July.
    2. Naim Bro, 2025. "A frustratingly easy way of extracting political networks from text," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 20(1), pages 1-13, January.

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • H11 - Public Economics - - Structure and Scope of Government - - - Structure and Scope of Government
    • P26 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Socialist and Transition Economies - - - Property Rights
    • P36 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Socialist Institutions and Their Transitions - - - Consumer Economics; Health; Education and Training; Welfare, Income, Wealth, and Poverty
    • N44 - Economic History - - Government, War, Law, International Relations, and Regulation - - - Europe: 1913-

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