ESSAYS IN THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF VOTING AND REFORMS

摘要: This thesis presents four essays in the political economy of elections and reforms. The first study exploits discontinuities around school entry cut-off dates to show that early childhood conditions can impact probability become a top-flight politician. It turns out those politicians who have been among oldest their cohort at are largely overrepresented US Congress. Nevertheless, relative age does not seem be correlated with quality elected politicians. second makes use natural experiment provide empirical estimates effect sequential voting on turnout bandwagon outside laboratory. Getting know exit poll information before decreases by about 10 15 percentage points increases voting, is least some people preferences vote for likely winner. third work describes novel nonparametric strategy identify tactical patterns directly from balloting results. Using British election data it shown there seems considerable amount especially between Labour Liberal-Democrats. Finally, put forward examines feasibility theoretically argued private prevent implementation welfare-enhancing reforms, depending distribution individual gains losses. as an example European agricultural reform 2005 gathering German farmers, this estimated using various methods robustness checks.