Threats Without Binding Commitment

20 Pages Posted: 25 Apr 1998 Last revised: 5 Jun 2022

See all articles by Steven Shavell

Steven Shavell

Harvard Law School; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Kathryn E. Spier

Harvard University - Law School - Faculty; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Date Written: February 1996

Abstract

This paper explores the power of threats in the absence of binding commitment. The threatener cannot commit to carrying out the threat if the victim refuses payment, and cannot commit to not carrying out the threat if payment is made. If exercising the threat is costly to the threatener, then the threat cannot succeed in extracting money from the victim. If exercising the threat would benefit the threatener, however, then the threat's success depends upon whether the threat may be repeated. In the equilibrium of a finite-period game, the threat is carried out and the victim makes no payments. In an infinite-horizon game, however, it is an equilibrium for the victim to make a stream of payments over time. The expectation of future payments keeps the threatener from exercising the threat.

Suggested Citation

Shavell, Steven and Spier, Kathryn E., Threats Without Binding Commitment (February 1996). NBER Working Paper No. w5461, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3258

Steven Shavell (Contact Author)

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Kathryn E. Spier

Harvard University - Law School - Faculty ( email )

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National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

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