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Legislative Activity and Private Benefits: A Natural Experiment in New Zealand

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  • Morelli, Massimo
  • Osnabrügge, Moritz
  • Vannoni, Matia

Abstract

We examine the causal effect of legislative activity on private benefits, which have been largely neglected by previous research in legislative studies. By relying on a natural experiment in New Zealand, where randomly selected Members of Parliament (MPs) are given the opportunity to propose legislation, we find evidence for a causal relation between proposing a (successful) bill and the private benefits MPs receive, in terms of gifts and payments for services. We conclude that the allocation of private benefits depends on legislative performance.

Suggested Citation

  • Morelli, Massimo & Osnabrügge, Moritz & Vannoni, Matia, 2020. "Legislative Activity and Private Benefits: A Natural Experiment in New Zealand," Political Science Research and Methods, Cambridge University Press, vol. 8(3), pages 565-570, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:pscirm:v:8:y:2020:i:3:p:565-570_12
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    1. Mattozzi, Andrea & Merlo, Antonio, 2008. "Political careers or career politicians?," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(3-4), pages 597-608, April.
    2. Gabriele Gratton & Luigi Guiso & Claudio Michelacci & Massimo Morelli, 2015. "From Weber to Kafka: Political Activism and the Emergence of an Inefficient Bureaucracy," Working Papers 560, IGIER (Innocenzo Gasparini Institute for Economic Research), Bocconi University.
    3. Peter Buisseret & Dan Bernhardt, 2017. "Dynamics of Policymaking: Stepping Back to Leap Forward, Stepping Forward to Keep Back," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 61(4), pages 820-835, October.
    4. Williams, Brian D. & Indridason, Indridi H., 2018. "Luck of the Draw? Private Members’ Bills and the Electoral Connection," Political Science Research and Methods, Cambridge University Press, vol. 6(2), pages 211-227, April.
    5. Bräuninger, Thomas & Debus, Marc & Wüst, Fabian, 2017. "Governments, Parliaments and Legislative Activity," Political Science Research and Methods, Cambridge University Press, vol. 5(3), pages 529-554, July.
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