Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/278874 
Year of Publication: 
2023
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 16176
Publisher: 
Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
How can we motivate good politicians – those that will carry out policy that is responsive to citizens' preferences – to enter politics? In a field experiment in Pakistan, we vary how political office is portrayed to ordinary citizens. We find that emphasizing prosocial motives for holding political office instead of personal returns – such as the ability to help others versus enhancing one's own respect and status – raises the likelihood that individuals run for office and that voters elect them. It also better aligns subsequent policies with citizens' preferences. We further find that social versus personal messaging only matters when randomly delivered in a public setting, suggesting that the extrinsic calculus is particularly important in candidacy decisions. Taken together, the results demonstrate that how politics is perceived in democracies shapes political entry as well as policy outcomes.
Subjects: 
political selection
policy-making
state capacity
JEL: 
O12
D72
H75
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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