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Why Does it Take a Nixon to go to China?

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  • Mariano Tommasi

    (UCLA)

Abstract

Substantial changes in policy are sometimes implemented by "unlikely" parties; for example, radical market-oriented reforms by populist parties and substantial steps towards peace by "hawks" like Begin or Nixon. To account for such episodes, we develop a framework in which incumbent politicians have more information than the voting public about the state of the world, and hence about which policies are optimal. Politicians are unable to transmit fully this information, since there is also incomplete information about their preferences. We conclude that popular support for a policy, or its "credibility," depends on the policymakerpolicy pair.
(This abstract was borrowed from another version of this item.)
(This abstract was borrowed from another version of this item.)

Suggested Citation

  • Mariano Tommasi, 1995. "Why Does it Take a Nixon to go to China?," UCLA Economics Working Papers 728, UCLA Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:cla:uclawp:728
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D70 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - General
    • D80 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - General
    • E60 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - General
    • C72 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Noncooperative Games

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