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The power of social mobilisation: The impact of monitoring the 2015 presidential elections in Poland

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  • Fałkowski, Jan
  • Kurek, Przemysław J.

Abstract

In recent years we have observed an increased engagement of citizen’s movements with elections in democratic polities. Yet our understanding of the influence that this engagement can have over elections is still rather limited. In this paper we study electoral consequences of citizens’ involvement in monitoring 2015 presidential elections in Poland. Our analysis provides strong support for arguments saying that watchdog organisations may have an important influence on electoral outcomes. Our findings suggest that in municipalities in which election observers were present the share of vote for an incumbent candidate, Bronisław Komorowski, was significantly lower than in municipalities where the watchdog organisation did not have its representatives. Our results are robust to several tests which allows us to argue that the effect we find should not be attributed to some unobservable factors.

Suggested Citation

  • Fałkowski, Jan & Kurek, Przemysław J., 2021. "The power of social mobilisation: The impact of monitoring the 2015 presidential elections in Poland," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 49(1), pages 38-58.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jcecon:v:49:y:2021:i:1:p:38-58
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jce.2020.07.002
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Callen, Michael & Long, James D., 2015. "Institutional corruption and election fraud: evidence from a field experiment in Afghanistan," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 102931, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
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    4. Michael Callen & James D. Long, 2015. "Institutional Corruption and Election Fraud: Evidence from a Field Experiment in Afghanistan," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 105(1), pages 354-381, January.
    5. Andreas Madestam & Daniel Shoag & Stan Veuger & David Yanagizawa-Drott, 2013. "Do Political Protests Matter? Evidence from the Tea Party Movement," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 128(4), pages 1633-1685.
    6. Asunka, Joseph & Brierley, Sarah & Golden, Miriam & Kramon, Eric & Ofosu, George, 2019. "Electoral Fraud or Violence: The Effect of Observers on Party Manipulation Strategies," British Journal of Political Science, Cambridge University Press, vol. 49(1), pages 129-151, January.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Citizens’ movements; Social mobilisation; Watchdog organisations; Election monitoring; Poland;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • P16 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Capitalist Economies - - - Capitalist Institutions; Welfare State

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