Political Economy of Democratic Institutions

Peter Moser, University of Applied Sciences HTW Chur, Switzerland

'. . . a rich introduction to the spatial voting literature and to comparative institutional analysis - as well as a cogent statement that, indeed, institutions matter. . . . The book is notable in its eclecticism and thoroughness; it will have the rare appeal to both political scientists and economists in both Europe and America. Moreover, the exposition is careful and the mechanics of spatial social choice analysis are made clear, so it is suitable for some applied classroom use.'

• Contents: 1. Introduction Part I: Legislative Institutions and Public Policy: A Survey of the Literature 2. Collective Decisions under Simple Majority Rules 3. Institutional Constraints and Stability 4. Legislative Institutions and Policy Choices: Selected Applications Part II: Institutions and Stability: Checks and Balances in the Swiss Political System 5. A Model of Legislative Decisions 6. A Model of Constitutional Decisions 7. Uncertainty and Interest Groups Part III: Institutions and Policy Choice: The Conditional Influence of the European Parliament 8. Strategic Interactions in Legislative Procedures in the European Union 9. Case Study on Car Emission Standards Part IV: Institutions and Regulatory Behavior: Checks and Balances as a Prerequisite for Independent Central Banks 10. Legislative Choice of the Monetary Institution 11. Legislative Structure and Central Bank Independence Epilogue: Markets, Checks and Balances, and Commitments References Index