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Dynastic Politicians: Theory and Evidence from Japan

Author

Listed:
  • Yasushi Asako

    (School of Political Science and Economics, Waseda University)

  • Takeshi Iida

    (Faculty of Law, Doshisha University)

  • Tetsuya Matsubayashi

    (Osaka School of International Public Policy, Osaka University)

  • Michiko Ueda

    (Department of Political Science, Syracuse University)

Abstract

Dynastic politicians, defined as those whose family members have also served in the same position in the past, occupy a sizable portion of offices in many parts of the world. We develop a model of how dynastic politicians with inherited political advantages affect electoral outcomes and policy choices. Our model predicts that, as compared wit non-dynastic legislators, dynastic legislators bring more distributions to the district, enjoy higher electoral success, and harm the economic performance of the districts despite the larger amount of distributive benefits they bring. We test the implications of the model using data from Japan between 1997 and 2007.

Suggested Citation

  • Yasushi Asako & Takeshi Iida & Tetsuya Matsubayashi & Michiko Ueda, 2014. "Dynastic Politicians: Theory and Evidence from Japan," Working Papers 1412, Waseda University, Faculty of Political Science and Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:wap:wpaper:1412
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Mendoza, Ronald & Beja Jr, Edsel & Venida, Victor & Yap, David, 2013. "Political dynasties and poverty: Resolving the “chicken or the egg” question," MPRA Paper 48380, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Folke, Olle & Rickne, Johanna & Smith, Daniel M., 2018. "Gender and Dynastic Political Recruitment," Working Paper Series 1233, Research Institute of Industrial Economics.
    3. Koichi Kagitani & Kozo Harimaya, 2020. "Constituency systems, election proximity, special interests and a free trade agreement: the case of the Trans-Pacific Partnership in Japan," International Economics and Economic Policy, Springer, vol. 17(4), pages 897-922, October.
    4. Fiva, Jon H. & Smith, Daniel M., 2018. "Political Dynasties and the Incumbency Advantage in Party-Centered Environments," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 112(3), pages 706-712, August.
    5. Gianmarco Daniele & Paul Vertier, 2016. "Dynasties and the Political Budget Cycle," CESifo Working Paper Series 6231, CESifo.
    6. Beja Jr, Edsel & Mendoza, Ronald U. & Venida, Victor S. & Yap, David B., 2012. "Inequality in democracy: Insights from an empirical analysis of political dynasties in the 15th Philippine Congress," MPRA Paper 40104, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. Michael Batu, 2017. "Poverty and the Colonial Origins of Elite Capture: Evidence from Philippine Provinces," Working Papers 1708, University of Windsor, Department of Economics.
    8. Fernando Antonio Ignacio González & María Emma Santos & Juan Cruz Fernández, 2021. "¿Discontinuidades o Continuidades Políticas? Explorando sus Efectos sobre el Desempeño Económico: El Caso de la Intervención Federal en Santiago del Estero," Working Papers 100, Red Nacional de Investigadores en Economía (RedNIE).
    9. Kodila-Tedika, Oasis & Khalifa, Sherif & Konso Mulali, Ben, 2020. "Who Becomes Minister in an Autocratic Regime? Evidence From DRC," MPRA Paper 103022, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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