How do Electoral Systems Affect Fiscal Policy? Evidence from State and Local Governments, 1890 to 2005

Using a new data set on Swiss state and local governments from 1890 to today, we analyze how the adoption of proportional representation affects fiscal policy. We show that proportional systems shift spending toward broad goods (e.g. education and welfare benefits) but decrease spending on targetable goods (e.g. roads and agricultural subsidies). Our evidence does not suggest that proportional representation increases the overall size of government. We provide new evidence on the mechanism behind these estimates. We show that proportional elections lead to better political representation of left-wing parties, which are associated with more spending. Furthermore, proportional elections lead to higher political fragmentation. However, since political fragmentation increases spending in a plurality system only, proportional elections reduce spending through its more moderate effects of fractionalized parliaments.electoral system, public finance, political fragmentation, matching

Does direct democracy reduce the size of government? New evidence from historical data, 1890-2000

Using historical data for all Swiss cantons from 1890 to 2000, we estimate the causal effect of direct democracy on government spending. The main innovation in this paper is that we use fixed effects to control for unobserved heterogeneity and instrumental variables to address the potential endogeneity of institutions. We find that the budget referendum and lower costs to launch a voter initiative are effective tools in reducing canton level spending. However, we find no evidence that the budget referendum results in more decentralized government or a larger local government. Our instrumental variable estimates suggest that a mandatory budget referendum reduces the size of canton spending between 13 and 19 percent. A 1 percent lower signature requirement for the initiative reduces canton spending by up to 2 percent.Direct Democracy, Fiscal Policy, Switzerland

Product Market Competition and Executive Compensation: An Empirical Investigation

There is an ongoing theoretical debate about whether firm-owners would optimally use stronger or weaker incentive schemes for their managers as productmarket competition increases. Schmidt (1997) shows that the outside options of the managers play a crucial role: if the market for managers is soft, an increase in competition is more likely to result in stronger incentive schemes than if the market for managers is tough. In this paper, we for the first time analyze the effects of product market competition on the level and structure of executive compensation. With panel-data for firms in the the U.S. manufacturing industries (NAICS 32-33), we investigate (a) how an increase in product market competition affects the use of incentive contracts and (b) whether this relationship depends on the outside options of the managers as predicted by theory.CEO compensation; product market competition; incentive schemes

Does Direct Democracy Reduce the Size of Government? New Evidence from Historical Data, 1890-2000

Using a new dataset of Swiss cantons from 1890 to 2000, we estimate the causal effect of direct democracy on government spending. Our analysis is novel in two ways: first, we use fixed effects to control for unobserved heterogeneity; second, we combine a new instrument with fixed effects to address the potential endogeneity of institutional reform. We find that direct democracy has a constraining, but modest effect on spending. Our estimates suggest that a mandatory budget referendum reduces canton expenditures by 9 percent. A decline in the signature requirement for the voter initiative by one percent reduces spending by 2.2 percent. We find no evidence that direct democracy at the canton level results in higher local spending or a more decentralized government.

Gender gaps in policy making: Evidence from direct democracy in Switzerland

In spite of increasing representation of women in politics, little is known about their impact on policies. Comparing outcomes of parliaments with different shares of female members does not identify their causal impact because of possible differences in the underlying electorate. This paper uses a unique data set on voting decisions to sheds new light on gender gaps in policy making. Our analysis focuses on Switzerland, where all citizens can directly decide on a broad range of policies in referendums and initiatives. We show that there are large gender gaps in the areas of health, environmental protection, defense spending and welfare policy which typically persist even conditional on socio-economic characteristics. We also find that female policy makers have a substantial effect on the composition of public spending, but a small effect on the overall size of government.Female Policy Makers, Political Gender Gaps, Switzerland

Promoting rule compliance in daily-life: Evidence from a randomized field experiment in the public libraries of Barcelona

We study how to promote compliance with rules in everyday situations. Having access to unique data on the universe of users of all public libraries in Barcelona, we test the effect of sending email messages with dierent contents. We find that users return their items earlier if asked to do so in a simple email. Emails reminding users of the penalties associated with late returns are more effective than emails with only a generic reminder. We find differential treatment effects by user types. The characteristics we analyze are previous compliance, gender, age, and nationality.Rule Compliance, Field Experiment, Public Libraries.

Nebraska Preschool Child Care, 1988 - A Survey of Parents on Access to Quality Child Care

A survey of child care arrangements for Nebraska preschool children was conducted in 1988 by the Center for Applied Urban Research (now, Center for Public Affairs Research), University of Nebraska at Omaha, under the direction of Dr. Christine Reed. The purposes of the survey were to document the characteristics of the child care arrangements used in 1988 by Nebraska parents with preschool-age children and to identify household characteristics associated with the different types of child care that parents chose. Results from the survey were incorporated with other research data into the report, Child Day Care Policy Issues in Nebraska (Reed 1988). The purpose of this report is to provide a more detailed analysis and discussion of the results of that survey

Gender gaps in policy making: evidence from direct democracy in Switzerland

This paper uses a unique data set on individual voting decisions to shed new light on gender gaps in policy making. Our analysis focuses on Switzerland, the world leader in direct democracy, where all citizens directly decide on a broad range of policies at the ballot box. Analysing all federal votes held between 1981 and 2003, we show that there are large gender gaps in the areas of health, environmental protection, defence spending and welfare policy. The gender gaps typically persist even conditional on socio-economic characteristics. We also find that female policy-makers have a substantial effect on the composition of public spending, but a small effect on the overall size of governmen

Quality Information for Improved Health

The Medical Library Association converts access to information into access to knowledge in a networked environment of digital resource

MalaQuick™ versus ParaSight F® as a diagnostic aid in travellers' malaria

In this study we assessed whether travellers can perform malaria rapid tests, following the provided information leaflet, and correctly interpret performed and pre-prepared test strips. Two Plasmodium falciparum testing systems, namely MalaQuick™ (ICT) and ParaSight F® were used. Test performance and test interpretation of pre-prepared tests were compared. There was no significant difference in test performance between the 2 tests. Interpretation of prepared test strips in both test systems was very reliable in blood parasite densities between 0·1% and 2%, but major problems were encountered at low parasitaemia (2% blood parasites). Low parasitaemia ParaSight F test strips were correctly interpreted by 52·1% compared with 10·8% correct interpretations with MalaQuick (P 2% blood parasites) pre-prepared test strips was higher with MalaQuick (96·8%) than with ParaSight F (33·8%), P < 0·0001. Both tests were associated with high levels of false-negative interpretations which render them unsuitable as self-diagnostic kits. Efforts must be made to assist lay individuals in test performance by technical test improvement, by equiping the test strips with an additional reading aid for interpretation, and by providing instruction by a skilled perso