Dynasties and Policymaking, with P. Vertier

In this paper, we test whether dynastic leaders differ in their policymaking once in office.

Based on a large sample of Italian dynastic mayors, we do not find differences in policymaking in terms of average revenue and expenditure or in types of spending. However, dynastic mayors increase spending and obtain higher transfers during the pre-electoral year, especially when electoral incentives are stronger.

We suggest that they might behave more strategically both because they can (thanks to inherited political skills) and because they want to (due to higher returns from politics).

Nevertheless, this strategic behavior is not reflected by different performance while in office. Overall, we suggest that dynastic-elected leaders differ concerning policies explicitly linked to their political careers. 

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Presentations:

• 16th “Brucchi Luchino” Labor Economics Workshop (Milan, IT); Petralia Workshop 2017 (Siracusa, IT); 1st Workshop on Culture and Institutions (Galatina, IT); 2015 Workshop on Political Economy, IEB (Barcelona, ES); 
• 2016-2018: CESifo workshop in Dresden (DE); Sciences Po (FR); AFSE conference in Paris (FR); CREST (FR); European Commission's DG Joint Research Centre, Ispra (IT);  Institut d'Economia de Barcelona IEB (ES); BI Norwegian Business School (NO);  2015: Université libre de Bruxelles – ECARES (BE)