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Voting Power and Voting Blocs

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  • Leech, Dennis

    (Warwick University)

  • Leech, Robert

    (Birkbeck, London University)

Abstract

We investigate the applicability of voting power indices, in particular the Penrose index (aka absolute Banzhaf index), in the analysis of voting blocs by means of a hypothetical voting body. We use the power of individual bloc members to study the implications of the formation of blocs and how voting power varies as bloc size varies. This technique of analysis has many real world applications to legislatures and international bodies. It can be generalised in many ways : the analysis is a priori (assuming formal voting and ignoring actual voting behaviour) but can be made empirical with voting data ; it examines the consequences of two blocs but can easily be extended to more.

Suggested Citation

  • Leech, Dennis & Leech, Robert, 2004. "Voting Power and Voting Blocs," The Warwick Economics Research Paper Series (TWERPS) 716, University of Warwick, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:wrk:warwec:716
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Dennis Leech, 2002. "An Empirical Comparison of the Performance of Classical Power Indices," Political Studies, Political Studies Association, vol. 50(1), pages 1-22, March.
    2. Straffin, Philip Jr., 1994. "Power and stability in politics," Handbook of Game Theory with Economic Applications, in: R.J. Aumann & S. Hart (ed.), Handbook of Game Theory with Economic Applications, edition 1, volume 2, chapter 32, pages 1127-1151, Elsevier.
    3. Leech, Dennis & Leech, Robert, 2004. "Voting Power in the Bretton Woods Institutions," Economic Research Papers 269612, University of Warwick - Department of Economics.
    4. Dan S. Felsenthal & Moshé Machover, 1998. "The Measurement of Voting Power," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 1489.
    5. Shapley, L. S. & Shubik, Martin, 1954. "A Method for Evaluating the Distribution of Power in a Committee System," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 48(3), pages 787-792, September.
    6. James Coleman, 1970. "The benefits of coalition," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 8(1), pages 45-61, March.
    7. Leech, Dennis & Leech, Robert, 2004. "Voting Power in the Bretton Woods Institutions," The Warwick Economics Research Paper Series (TWERPS) 718, University of Warwick, Department of Economics.
    8. Pradeep Dubey & Lloyd S. Shapley, 1979. "Mathematical Properties of the Banzhaf Power Index," Mathematics of Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 4(2), pages 99-131, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Matthew Gould & Matthew D. Rablen, 2016. "Equitable representation in councils: theory and an application to the United Nations Security Council," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 169(1), pages 19-51, October.
    2. Claus Beisbart, 2010. "Groups can make a difference: voting power measures extended," Theory and Decision, Springer, vol. 69(3), pages 469-488, September.
    3. Stefano Benati & Giuseppe Vittucci Marzetti, 2021. "Voting power on a graph connected political space with an application to decision-making in the Council of the European Union," Social Choice and Welfare, Springer;The Society for Social Choice and Welfare, vol. 57(4), pages 733-761, November.
    4. Masili, Gustavo, 2013. "O Poder das Alianças no Congresso Nacional Brasileiro: Votação de Vetos Presidenciais e de Emendas Constitucionais [The Power of Alliances in the Brazilian National Congress: Vote on Presidential V," MPRA Paper 52170, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Serguei Kaniovski, 2008. "The exact bias of the Banzhaf measure of power when votes are neither equiprobable nor independent," Social Choice and Welfare, Springer;The Society for Social Choice and Welfare, vol. 31(2), pages 281-300, August.
    6. Leech, Dennis & Leech, Robert, 2012. "A New Analysis of A Priori Voting Power in the IMF: Recent Quota Reforms Give Little Cause for Celebration," The Warwick Economics Research Paper Series (TWERPS) 1001, University of Warwick, Department of Economics.
    7. Debabrata Pal, 2021. "Does everyone have equal voting power?," Indian Economic Review, Springer, vol. 56(2), pages 515-525, December.
    8. Alonso-Meijide, J.M. & Bilbao, J.M. & Casas-Méndez, B. & Fernández, J.R., 2009. "Weighted multiple majority games with unions: Generating functions and applications to the European Union," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 198(2), pages 530-544, October.

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