Paradox of voting essay
Rational choice theory affects (3)
Turnout decisions, voter choice, what policies that parties should do to increase winning chance of winning elections
Equation for determining decision to vote
Ui(vote) = B-C > 0
Critique according to Liiphart
People have concerns about a low turnout that it may lead to a collapse of democracy
Civic duty survey
70% think voting is part of civic duty
Could be as a result of
Age, education, upbringing, interest in politics or religion
Alternative forms of participation
All valid. Depends on what we value or as much valued as coting
Includes what
Altruism and civic duty
Civic duty limits on turnout studies
Assumption that it is held constant and thus hard to analyse as varies so much... collective actionproblem states things are engrained and only care about if you are taught it
RCT can be critiqued
People want to adhere to the social norm of voting to avoid guilt = challenge to RCT
Need to make a distinction betweene
Being politically engaged and having a sense of duty
Voting is
Costly
Constraint three .. variance
Different social capital which determines duty to vote
Russell dalton agreement with Putnam
Duty is changing based on differnet means of participaion such as boycotts.
Thrasher and Railing's
Found that civic duty is a much stronger predictor of local elections
Institutuons discretion on
Frequency, ease, compulsory, dishonesty
Ui (turnout)
P(B) - C = 0 - C
Down's paradox of voting causes us to question
RATIONALITY given benefits are so much less than costs
Jon elster definition of rational choice theory
RCT tells us what we should do in order to achieve our aims as well as possible, not what out aims should be
If not
Rather stay at home 2) reasons
Broader definition of rationality
Riker and Ordeshook
Thus... downsian model incorrectly does not take into account
Sense of civic duty. If expanded, could take into account why people vote in some elections but not others
participate to
Show alleigance to the politcal system
paradox of voting
The question of why citizens vote even though their individual votes stand little chance of changing the election outcome.
Will vote when
Their vote will be fundamental in determining result
Individuals learn what civic duty is
Then it becomes part of their upbringing
