We build a simple model to capture the major virtues and drawbacks of making public officials accountable (i.e., subjecting them to reelection): On the one hand, accountability allows the public to screen and discipline their officials; on the other, it may induce those officials to pander to public opinion and put too little weight on minority welfare. We study when decision-making powers should be allocated to the public directly (direct democracy), to accountable officials (called "politicians"), or to nonaccountable officials (called "judges").
CITATION STYLE
Maskin, E., & Tirole, J. (2004). The politician and the judge: Accountability in Government. American Economic Review, 94(4), 1034–1054. https://doi.org/10.1257/0002828042002606
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