search query: @author Feld, L. P. / total: 4
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| Author: | Feld, L. P. Kirchgassner, G. |
| Title: | The political economy of direct legislation: direct democracy and local decision-making |
| Journal: | Economic Policy
2001 : OCT, 33, p. 329-368 |
| Index terms: | POLITICAL ECONOMY ECONOMICS ECONOMIC CONDITIONS DECISION MAKING DEMOCRACY |
| Language: | eng |
| Abstract: | This article argues that direct democracy is best suited to organize decision-making at the state and local level. To support this, the authors present the main theoretical arguments on why and how referenda and initiatives affect fiscal policy outcomes. The basic argument concerns voter control. Under representative democracy, citizens only have direct control at election time. With referenda and initiatives, citizens can selectively control their representatives on specific policies whenever they deviate sufficiently from citizens' preferences. As a result, fiscal policy outcomes are likely to more closely reflect voter preferences. The authors empirically test this on Swiss data since Switzerland provides a 'natural laboratory' for local governance. |
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