This article uses individual-level data from a Venezuelan land reform initiative to show how combining it with macro-level analysis improves testing of theories about distributive politics.

Individual-Level Data & Voter Preferences

The study analyzes voter preferences alongside benefit receipt records in Venezuela's contemporary land reform program.

Two Main Advantages

1. Comparing individual and aggregate data reveals a more complete picture of distributive targeting strategies.

2. Individual-level analysis alone can misattribute benefits due to subnational politicians' influence, obscuring initial target selection.

The article demonstrates both points using the Venezuelan case study and offers practical recommendations for multi-level data collection in political science research.