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Turnover In Power As A Restraint On Investing In Influence: Evidence From The Postcommunist Transition

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  • BRANKO MILANOVIC
  • KARLA HOFF
  • SHALE HOROWITZ

Abstract

We develop and implement a method for measuring the frequency of changes in power among distinct leaders and ideologically distinct parties that is comparable across political systems. We find that in the postcommunist countries, more frequent changes in power in the early years of transition are associated with better governance in the later years. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that more frequent turnover in power lowers the returns to firms seeking to buy political influence: i.e. that government turnover serves as a restraint on investing in influence regardless of the ideology of the government.

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  • Branko Milanovic & Karla Hoff & Shale Horowitz, 2010. "Turnover In Power As A Restraint On Investing In Influence: Evidence From The Postcommunist Transition," Economics and Politics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(3), pages 329-361, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:ecopol:v:22:y:2010:i:3:p:329-361
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-0343.2010.00365.x
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    Cited by:

    1. Hélène Laurent, 2021. "Corruption and politicians’ horizon," Economics of Governance, Springer, vol. 22(1), pages 65-91, March.
    2. Mihály Fazekas & Johannes Wachs, 2020. "Corruption and the Network Structure of Public Contracting Markets across Government Change," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 8(2), pages 153-166.
    3. Andina-Díaz, Ascensión & Feri, Francesco & Meléndez-Jiménez, Miguel A., 2021. "Institutional flexibility, political alternation, and middle-of-the-road policies," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 204(C).
    4. Mihály Fazekas & Johannes Wachs, 2020. "Corruption and the Network Structure of Public Contracting Markets across Government Change," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 8(2), pages 153-166.

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