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Cited by 332Fiscal Policies and Political EconomyElectoral Systems and Political ParticipationLocal Government Finance and Decentralization

The Effect of the Expansion of the Voting Franchise on the Size of Government

Husted, Thomas A., Kenny, Lawrence W.·1997·Journal of Political Economy
DOI 10.1086/262065
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Abstract

This paper examines the claim that expansion of the voting franchise has been an important factor in the growth of government. State government spending and state and local spending are explained using a panel of 46 states for 1950-88. Elimination of poll taxes and literacy tests led to higher turnout, particularly among the poor, and a poorer pivotal voter. As predicted, we find that these changes, a fall in the income of voters relative to state income, and the ouster of Republicans from state government led to a sharp rise in welfare spending but no change in other spending.

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Crossref · 10.1086/262065

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  • If contests for power become more open, the demand for redistributive progressive taxation would increase.

    “If contests for power become more open, we would expect the demand for redistributive progressive taxation to increase, as suggested by the Meltzer-Richards (1981) framework and the empirical evidence in Husted and Kenny (1997).”

    From Why Do Developing Countries Tax So Little? (2014) · cites this paper as Husted and Kenny (1997)

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Authors
Husted, T. A., & Kenny, L. W.
Venue
Journal of Political Economy
Publisher
University of Chicago Press
Published
1997-02
Volume
105
Issue
1
Pages
54-82
ISSN
  • 0022-3808 (ISSN-L)
  • 1537-534X
DOI
10.1086/262065
OpenAlex
W2057687391
Cited by
330
References
32
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 14 · 2015: 17 · 2014: 26 · 2013: 18 · 2012: 14
FWCI
7.50
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
Journal of Political Economy (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Economics, Econometrics and Finance › Economics and Econometrics › Fiscal Policies and Political Economy
  • Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › Electoral Systems and Political Participation
  • Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › Local Government Finance and Decentralization
Keywords
government size, state government spending, local government spending, poll tax, literacy tests, voter turnout, social spending, pivotal voters

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