Benchmarking Politicians
26 Pages Posted: 8 May 2013
Date Written: May 2013
Abstract
We study a political system in which voters can optimally pick between political platforms, but cannot screen the quality of individual politicians associated with these platforms. A bad individual achievement can correspond to either incompetence (adverse selection) or corruption (moral hazard). Information could improve, if independent experts assess achievements as compared to commitments, allowing independent judges to investigate possible corruption. We find that while good experts are always beneficial as they increase transparency, the impact of the quality of judges is ambiguous. Above a threshold, with risk-averse social planners, good judges increase the incentive-compatible punishment of politicians, at the cost of possible judiciary mistakes.
JEL Classification: D7, D82
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation
Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?
Recommended Papers
-
A Political Economy Model of Congressional Careers
By Daniel Diermeier, Michael P. Keane, ...
-
By Francesco Caselli and Massimo Morelli
-
A Political Economy Model of Congressional Careers, Second Version
By Daniel Diermeier, Michael P. Keane, ...
-
A Political Economy Model of Congressional Careers: Supplementary Material
By Daniel Diermeier, Michael P. Keane, ...
-
Mixed Equilibrium in a Downsian Model with a Favored Candidate
-
By Matthias Messner and Mattias Polborn
-
Political Careers or Career Politicians?
By Andrea Mattozzi and Antonio Merlo
-
Political Careers or Career Politicians?
By Andrea Mattozzi and Antonio Merlo
-
Political Careers or Career Politicians?
By Andrea Mattozzi and Antonio Merlo
-
Political Careers Or Career Politicians? Second Version
By Andrea Mattozzi and Antonio Merlo