Electoral Reform and the Distribution of Public Expenditures: Evidence from Japan
نویسندگان
چکیده
Does the equalization of legislative representation reduce policy bias? We examine this question by focusing on the redistricting and reapportionment of seats associated with the recent electoral reform in Japan. We first show that the reform of 1994 resulted in a considerable degree of equalization in the allocation of legislative seats per capita. Second, using municipality-level data, we present evidence that municipalities in over-represented districts received significantly more subsidies per capita from the central government, as compared to those in under-represented districts, in both pre-reform and post-reform years. Third, by examining the relationship between the change in seats per capita and the change in subsidies per capita at the municipality level, we show that the equalization in voting strength resulted in equalization of government transfers per person.
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