Giuseppe Sobbrio

Changing the rules: political competition under plurality and proportionality

From the wide range of voting schemes, two electoral rules, proportional representation (PR) and plurality (PL) attract primary interest. This paper examines the relationship between proportionality, voter information and a conception of the power of competing political parties under the differing electoral rules. Data are from three Sicilian provincial elections (1985, 1990 and 1994). Two measures of power and two measures of proportionality are used and Olsons theory of groups is applied to derive a measure of voter information. The results indicate that proportionality and voter information have a negative effect on political party power dilution under PR rules. However, these effects disappear under PL rules. We offer some interpretations of these findings.

Lawyers and legal disputes. Evidence from Italy

We test the hypothesis that, being clients not fully informed on the expected benefit from fulfilling the disputes and being incentives of lawyers not aligned to those of their clients, the demand for legal disputes in Italy is induced. This hypothesis finds empirical support for a sample of Italian legal districts.

Voter Information and Power Dilution: Evidence from Sicilian Provincial Elections

It is generally accepted that an increase in the amount of voter information is desirable. As Reisman (1990) points out, a well-informed and committed electorate is better able to exercise rational choice and consequently is less likely to have its wishes being thwarted by elected representatives. In this connection, a crucial question relates to the effect of increased voter information on power of elected representatives. In other words, does increased voter information dilute or increase the power of political parties? From the answer to this question flow numerous conclusions about the size of rents enjoyed by political parties under differing electoral systems.We use data from Sicilian provincial elections (1985 and 1990) to examine the empirical relationship between voter information and power dilution. We use Olsons theory of groups to derive measures of voter information, following a methodology developed in Mudambi, Navarra, and Nicosia (1996). We use a measure of power dilution proposed by Capron and Kruseman (1988) and suggest an adjustment to correct it for truncation bias. We then examine the relationship between voter information and power dilution.

Abnormal daily periodicity of serum thyrotropin (TSH) and evidence for defective TSH suppression in a case of non-neoplastic syndrome of inappropriate TSH secretion

A non-neoplastic syndrome of inappropriate secretion of TSH (ITSHS) was diagnosed in a hemithyroidectomized and clinically euthyroid 44-yr-old man, who also exhibited limping (Perthes’ disease), genu valgum, pes supinatus and lateral nystagmus. Computed tomography demonstrated an enlarged sella turcica due to empty sella. Baseline serum T3, T4, free T3, free T4 and TSH fluctuated between 179 and 274 ng/dl, 6.0 and 13.2 µg/dl, 4.2 and 6.0 pg/ml, 7.6 and 15.3 pg/ml, and 4.3 and 33.0 µU/ml, respectively. Serum alpha-TSH subunit was repeatedly normal (0.36–0.69 ng/ml) over the follow-up period (> 3 yr). No changes in serum liver enzymes and lipids were observed after thyroid hormone administration, whereas red blood cell glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) and urinary OH-proline were sligthly enhanced during 120 µg/day L-T3 regimen. This also resulted in an inappropriately normal glucagon-stimulated cAMP levels. Tachycardia was experienced only during L-T3 and very high L-T4 dose treatments. Therefore, the patient showed some evidence for thyroid hormone peripheral refractoriness. Patient’s TSH was physiologically responsive to agents (thyrotropin releasing hormone, methimazole, the dopamine antagonists domperidone and sulpiride) known to elicit its release into circulation, while it responded paradoxically to those which normally inhibit TSH secretion. In fact, the infusion of somatostatin (320 µg/h) or dopamine (4 µg/Kg/min), and the oral administration of bromocriptine or nomifensine (two dopamine agonists) or corticosteroids (dexamethasone) provoked an unexpected elevation of both unstimulated and TRH-stimulated TSH levels. Serum TSH also showed an abnormal daily periodicity, reaching the zenith in the daytime, after awakening- a finding confirmed on 4 different occasions. The above findings suggest that the underlying disturbance in our patient was a defective supression of TSH secretion. In this view, the present case is the first one in whom multiple defects of the inhibitory control of TSH secretion have been documented.

The role of education in determining the attitudes towards crime in Europe

Using data from the European Social Survey (ESS), we investigate the relationship between education and attitudes towards offences and crime. The results suggest that in a European context years spent in education are positively associated with more permissive attitudes towards criminal behaviour.

‘O convergence, where art thou?’ Regional growth and industrialization in Italy

Abstract This paper shows that the Italian economy has two long-run equilibria, which are due to the different level of industrialization between the centre-north and the south of the country. These equilibria converge until 1971 but diverge afterwards; the end of the convergence process coincides with the slowing down of Italys industrialization policy in the South. In this paper we argue that to address this problem effectively, an economic policy completely different from that in place in needed. However, such a policy is unlikely to be implemented given the scarcity of resources and the short run nature of the political cycle.

The Length of Legal Disputes and the Decision to Appeal in Italian Courts

Gravelle shows that delay in legal process causes the costs of justice increase and reducesthe demand for justice. In this work we test Gravelles argument for Italy by analysing the relationship between the number of new appeals and the average delay in the corresponding disputes at first instance.The results do not contradict Gravelles argument with respect to labour disputes and ordinary disputes that fall within the jurisdiction of the Courts of Appeal. Conversely, we found no significant correlation with respect to appeals in ordinary disputes falling within the jurisdiction of the Courts of Law (against the decision of a Peace Officer) and a not clear effect for social welfare disputes.

Living in the Jungle or Together and in Peace

The existing literature on conflicts extensively argues that countries may find a peaceful settlement, in which they renounce fighting. In this paper we try to formalize a model, in which countries focus on a different and more attractive solution for their disputes. More specifically, we the case in which they merge, creating a new entity, instead of simply renouncing fighting. We stress the welfareimplications of this choice, as well as the fact that the merging process is not necessarily unchangeable, but it can collapse depending on the parameters of the model. Beyond the literature on conflicts, this paper can also be linked to the one on countries secession/unification.

The Political Economy of Italian Electoral Reform

In the public choice tradition, politics is seen as a market activity in which individual preferences are revealed and translated into public policies through a ‘production’ process. In this framework, a sequence of elections may be considered as a repeated game in which the preferences of society are expressed and find representation (Ordeshook, 1997). The expression and implementation of societal preferences and the production of implied policies are guaranteed by the repeated nature of the game. The market where this game is played is the electoral market.

Rules, Choice and Strategy

This topical book analyses the change of electoral rules in Italy from proportional representation toward plurality. While Italy is used as the illustrative case, the analysis has far-ranging theoretical and practical implications, and will therefore be of interest to academics and researchers of political economy, constitutionalism and public choice.