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Random interactions in the Chamber: Legislators' behavior and political distance

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  • Saia, Alessandro
Abstract
I investigate the role of social interaction among Members of Parliament (MPs) and the impact of such interaction on the political distance between parties. Using the random allocation of seats in the Icelandic Parliament, I find that MP's voting and speech behaviors are affected by the behavior of legislators seated nearby. I also show that greater (random) exposure to MPs from different parties ultimately reduces the political distance between parties. Similar evidence is found using historical data for the U.S. House of Representatives, by exploiting the introduction of a lottery mechanism to determine desk assignments in 1845. I argue that random seating arrangements could constitute a low-cost way of reducing differences within the political arena.

Suggested Citation

  • Saia, Alessandro, 2018. "Random interactions in the Chamber: Legislators' behavior and political distance," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 225-240.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:pubeco:v:164:y:2018:i:c:p:225-240
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jpubeco.2018.06.009
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    1. Vangerven, Bart & Briskorn, Dirk & Goossens, Dries R. & Spieksma, Frits C.R., 2022. "Parliament seating assignment problems," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 296(3), pages 914-926.
    2. Bolletta, Ugo, 2021. "A model of peer effects in school," Mathematical Social Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 1-10.
    3. Nikolaj Harmon & Raymond Fisman & Emir Kamenica, 2019. "Peer Effects in Legislative Voting," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 11(4), pages 156-180, October.
    4. Altindag, Duha T. & Mocan, Naci & Zhang, Jie, 2021. "Freedom of Speech, Deterrence, and Compellence in the Parliament," IZA Discussion Papers 14308, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. Andrea Cintolesi, 2024. "‘Keep friends close, but enemies closer’: connections and political careers," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 200(1), pages 257-284, July.
    6. Ximeng Fang & Sven Heuser & Lasse S. Stötzer, 2023. "How In-Person Conversations Shape Political Polarization: Quasi-Experimental Evidence from a Nationwide Initiative," ECONtribute Discussion Papers Series 270, University of Bonn and University of Cologne, Germany.
    7. Matthew Lowe & Donghee Jo, 2021. "Legislature Integration and Bipartisanship: A Natural Experiment in Iceland," CESifo Working Paper Series 9452, CESifo.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Voting behavior; Social interaction; Political distance; Decision-making;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • D73 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Bureaucracy; Administrative Processes in Public Organizations; Corruption
    • N41 - Economic History - - Government, War, Law, International Relations, and Regulation - - - U.S.; Canada: Pre-1913

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