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Partially Binding Platforms: Campaign Promises vis-à-vis Cost of Betrayal

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  • Yasushi Asako

Abstract

type="main"> This study examines and models the effects of partially binding campaign platforms in a political competition. Here, a candidate who implements a policy that differs from the platform must pay a cost of betrayal, which increases with the size of the discrepancy. I also analyse endogenous decisions by citizens to run for an election. In particular, the model is able to show two implications that previous frameworks have had difficulty with. First, candidates with different characteristics have different probabilities of winning an election. Second, even knowing that he/she will lose an election, a candidate will still run, hoping to make an opponent's policy approach his/her own policy.

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  • Yasushi Asako, 2015. "Partially Binding Platforms: Campaign Promises vis-à-vis Cost of Betrayal," The Japanese Economic Review, Japanese Economic Association, vol. 66(3), pages 322-353, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jecrev:v:66:y:2015:i:3:p:322-353
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    1. Yasushi Asako, 2015. "Campaign promises as an imperfect signal: How does an extreme candidate win against a moderate candidate?," Journal of Theoretical Politics, , vol. 27(4), pages 613-649, October.
    2. Akifumi Ishihara, 2020. "Strategic candidacy for political compromise in party politics," Journal of Theoretical Politics, , vol. 32(3), pages 389-408, July.
    3. Yukihiro Nishimura & Kimiko Terai, 2021. "Electoral Commitment in Asymmetric Tax-competition Models," Discussion Papers in Economics and Business 20-21-Rev., Osaka University, Graduate School of Economics.
    4. Akifumi Ishihara & Shintaro Miura, 2017. "Minor candidates as kingmakers," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 170(3), pages 253-263, March.
    5. Yukihiro Nishimura & Kimiko Terai, 2016. "The Direction of Strategic Delegation and Voter Welfare in Asymmetric Tax Competition Models," Discussion Papers in Economics and Business 16-27, Osaka University, Graduate School of Economics.
    6. Elena Manzoni, 2020. "Extreme events, ex post renegotiation and vagueness of campaign promises," Working Papers 10/2020, University of Verona, Department of Economics.
    7. Yukihiro Nishimura & Kimiko Terai, 2021. "Electoral Commitment in Asymmetric Tax-competition Models," Discussion Papers in Economics and Business 20-21, Osaka University, Graduate School of Economics.

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    JEL classification:

    • C72 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Noncooperative Games
    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior

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