An Economic Theory of DemocracyThis book seeks to elucidate its subject-the governing of democratic state-by making intelligible the party politics of democracies. Downs treats this differently than do other students of politics. His explanations are systematically related to, and deducible from, precisely stated assumptions about the motivations that attend the decisions of voters and parties and the environment in which they act. He is consciously concerned with the economy in explanation, that is, with attempting to account for phenomena in terms of a very limited number of facts and postulates. He is concerned also with the central features of party politics in any democratic state, not with that in the United States or any other single country. |
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Page 99
Anthony Downs. ideologies rather than past records . Instead of comparing government behavior with opposition proposals , he compares party ideologies and supports the one most like his own Thus he votes on ideological competency , not ...
Anthony Downs. ideologies rather than past records . Instead of comparing government behavior with opposition proposals , he compares party ideologies and supports the one most like his own Thus he votes on ideological competency , not ...
Page 111
... ideologies to exist in society . However , party members select an ideology to represent the party on a basis different from that with which voters select an ideology . Party members choose an ideology which will win votes , not one ...
... ideologies to exist in society . However , party members select an ideology to represent the party on a basis different from that with which voters select an ideology . Party members choose an ideology which will win votes , not one ...
Page 113
... ideologies to cut their information costs . Parties also find ideologies useful in gaining the support of various social groups and in short cutting decisions about which policy will gain the most votes . A diversity of party ideologies ...
... ideologies to cut their information costs . Parties also find ideologies useful in gaining the support of various social groups and in short cutting decisions about which policy will gain the most votes . A diversity of party ideologies ...
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abstain alternatives analysis assume assumption axiom basic benefits cause ceteris paribus citizen X coalition competition conclusion cost of voting decision-making democracy Derived from Chapter discount distribution of voters division of labor economic theory economists effect election period electorate equal ernment exist extremist fact favor free information free market gain goals government action government policy government's groups hence ideologies incumbents indifferent individual influence irrational issue Kenneth Arrow marginal cost marginal equilibrium maximize means ment motives multiparty system oligopoly opposition parties outcome Paretian optimum party differential party's pay-off political information political parties position possible preferences problem Proposition rational citizen rational voter real world reason reëlected return from voting scale selection principles social society strategy tion two-party system uncertainty utility functions utility income V. O. Key views vote-selling voting decision welfare Welfare Economics well-informed zero