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Enfranchisement, Intra-Elite Conflict and Bargaining

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  • Ghosal, Sayantan
  • Proto, Eugenio

Abstract

Does power sharing between competing elites result in franchise extension to non-elites? In this paper, we argue that competing, risk-averse elites will enfranchise non-elites as insurance against future, uncertain imbalances in relative bargaining power. We show that negligibly small changes in the bargaining power of non-elites, conditional on enfranchisment, via coalition formation, constrains the bargaining power of the stronger elite and result in discontinuous changes in equilibrium surplus division. Our results are robust to public good provision following enfranchisement when there is preference heterogeneity over the location of the public good across the di§erent elites. We conclude with a comparative analysis of Indian democracy and show that our model is able to account for some of the distinctive features of Indian democracy.

Suggested Citation

  • Ghosal, Sayantan & Proto, Eugenio, 2006. "Enfranchisement, Intra-Elite Conflict and Bargaining," Economic Research Papers 269643, University of Warwick - Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:uwarer:269643
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.269643
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Soumyanetra Munshi, 2011. "Enfranchisement from a political perspective," Constitutional Political Economy, Springer, vol. 22(1), pages 21-57, March.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Institutional and Behavioral Economics; Risk and Uncertainty;

    JEL classification:

    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • D74 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Conflict; Conflict Resolution; Alliances; Revolutions
    • O57 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Comparative Studies of Countries

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