This course has ended
Log in to see additional content

Schedule

Log in to see additional content
The class meets M 15:00-18:00 in AS4-0119.

Class 1
Sincere voting
Topics
Two alternatives: majority rule. Three of more alternatives: plurality rule, nonexistence of voting rule with desirable properties, Condorcet-consistent rules, scoring rules. Single-peaked preferences. Multidimensional alternatives.
References
Class 2
Strategic voting
Topics
Costless voting: Nash equilibrium and weak domination. Costly voting: pure and mixed Nash equilibria. Models of turnout in large elections.
References
Class 3
Turnout in large elections. Electoral competition.
Topics
Group-based models of turnout in large elections; models of ethical voters. Hotelling’s model of office-motivated candidates: one-dimensional policies with two parties; electing a legislature; multidimensional policies; equilibrium with many parties
References
Class 4
Electoral competition continued
Topics
Policy-motivated parties. Citizen-candidate model. Dynamic models
References
Class 5
Redistributive politics
Topics
Voting over linear tax systems; voting over nonlinear tax systems; the role of campaign finance.
References
Class 6
Legislative bargaining. Voting in the presence of imperfect information. Regime change.
Topics
Legislative bargaining: sequential bargaining under majority rule; buying votes. Voting in the presence of imperfect information: Swing voter's curse. Regime change: democratization
References