Social Choice in the Real World II: Cyclical Preferences and Strategic Voting in the Finnish Presidential Elections |
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Authors: | Eerik Lagerspetz |
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Institution: | *Department of Philosophy. University of Jyväskylä, PL. 35, 40351 Jyväskylä, Finland |
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Abstract: | The empirical relevance of the theoretical results of social choice theory is still unclear. The most radical thesis, put forth by William Riker, is that politics is a highly unstable process, characterized by preference cycles and strategic voting. This article - a continuation of an earlier article published in this journal - examines the Finnish presidential election in 1925, 1931, 1937 and 1982. The conclusion is that preference cycle and strategic voting have had a significant impact in the discussed cases. The relevancy of the social choice approach and its relation to historical research are discussed. |
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