This paper explores how electoral systems shape government investment in social programs.
New Insight: It challenges assumptions that proportional representation automatically leads to higher spending by showing geographic distribution of recipients matters significantly.
### Data & Methods
Drawing from a comprehensive analysis of twenty-two OECD countries, the study employs rigorous quantitative methods comparing different electoral systems across regions.
### Key Finding
The results reveal majoritarian electoral systems can produce higher social spending than proportional ones when benefits are concentrated in specific areas—exposing an overlooked geographic dimension to this political economy question.
### Real-World Significance
This finding suggests policymakers and scholars must consider regional distribution alongside institutional design if they want accurate predictions about welfare state development or effective policy reform.
| Geography Matters: The Conditional Effect of Electoral Systems on Social Spending was authored by Ignacio Jurado and Sandra Leon. It was published by Cambridge in BJPS in 2019. |
