Pro-sociality of local democratic leaders: The impact and dynamics of being elected

B-Tier
Journal: European Economic Review
Year: 2024
Volume: 164
Issue: C

Authors (2)

Landmann, Andreas (not in RePEc) Vollan, Björn (Philipps-Universität Marburg)

Score contribution per author:

1.005 = (α=2.01 / 2 authors) × 1.0x B-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

Democratic regimes need leaders with high intrinsic motivation to serve their constituents. In this paper, we investigate the levels of leaders’ pro-social motivation, how such levels differ from those of villagers, whether they are affected when the leaders are elected, and the persistence over several years. A regression discontinuity design based on close elections combined with a panel of incentivized lab-in-the-field measures of solidarity reveals that being elected and holding office as a local leader results in making more pro-social choices two and six years after the election. An additional experiment measuring normative expectations towards leaders suggests that leaders' higher pro-sociality may come from internalizing these expectations. We also discuss the role of income, collective action and network ties and how the increase in pro-sociality relates to local level corruption.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:eee:eecrev:v:164:y:2024:i:c:s0014292124000448
Journal Field
General
Author Count
2
Added to Database
2026-01-29