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. |
From inside the book
Results 1-3 of 4
Page 150
... OLIGOPOLY PROBLEM IN VOTING IN MULTIPARTY SYSTEMS We have seen that coalition governments are formed in order to escape from the dilemma which arises when no one party receives the support of a majority of voters . But once voters ...
... OLIGOPOLY PROBLEM IN VOTING IN MULTIPARTY SYSTEMS We have seen that coalition governments are formed in order to escape from the dilemma which arises when no one party receives the support of a majority of voters . But once voters ...
Page 151
... choosing . What choices can he make ? First , he can remain " up in the air " and be so befuddled by the oligopoly problem that he stays home on election day . He is a baffled , to use PROBLEMS OF RATIONALITY UNDER COALITION GOVERNMENTS ...
... choosing . What choices can he make ? First , he can remain " up in the air " and be so befuddled by the oligopoly problem that he stays home on election day . He is a baffled , to use PROBLEMS OF RATIONALITY UNDER COALITION GOVERNMENTS ...
Page 152
... oligopoly problems does not , therefore , always prevent us from accurately forecasting their decisions . 5 This method of making the voting decision may seem to contradict the pro- cedure described in Chapter 3 because it makes no ...
... oligopoly problems does not , therefore , always prevent us from accurately forecasting their decisions . 5 This method of making the voting decision may seem to contradict the pro- cedure described in Chapter 3 because it makes no ...
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
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