Publication

This paper researches when elections induce politicians to act as delegates, and when as trustees. The authors develop a model of political accountability in which politicians vary in both their policy preferences and their competence. They show that low uncertainty about incumbent policy preferences lead politicians to behave as trustees. Otherwise, voters are often unable to credibly commit to vote retrospectively, and incumbents are electorally rewarded for the positions they take as opposed to the outcomes that they generate. The model presented also yields predictions about several other factors that determine whether elected officials will act as delegates or trustees.