infonet-economy

This doctoral thesis discusses the impact of direct legislation on society in Switzerland, particularly on the areas 'redistribution of income', 'life satisfaction', 'education', and 'public safety'. The influence of direct democracy at the cantonal level is explored through empirical analyses of synthetic panels and individual data (Swiss Household Panel (SHP), PISA). It is detected that in more direct democratic cantons systematically less financial means are available for policing, education and welfare transfers. What concerns education, this budgetary effect is transmitted through teacher qualification and exerts a negative impact on student achievement in reading and mathematics. With respect to crime, it is observed that a re-allocation of given means from protection of person away to the protection of property occurs, caused by the bounded rationality of the median voter. Efficiency gains, however, were found for the redistribution of income because a more equal distribution of net income is achieved with less means. The hypothesis the people are happier in more direct democratic cantons could not be supported using data of the SHP. Finally, this dissertation also contains a chapter on the development of the institutions of direct democracy at the cantonal level from 1998 to 2003.

see also EDIS: http://www.biblio.unisg.ch/www/edis.nsf/7acbc805e9219074c1256d28004777d9...