Work

Can Descriptive Representation Help the Right Win Votes from the Poor? Evidence from Brazil

Year: 2021

Type: article

Abstract: The electoral success of the Right in poor nations is typically attributed to nonpolicy appeals such as clientelism. Candidate profiles are usually ignored because if voters value class‐based descriptive representation, it should be the Left that uses it. In this article, we develop and test a novel theory of policy choice and candidate selection that defies this conventional wisdom: it is the Right that capitalizes on descriptive representation in high‐poverty areas. The Right is only competitive in poor regions when it matches the Left's pro‐poor policies. To credibly shift its position, it nominates candidates who are descriptively closer to the poor. Using a regression discontinuity design in Brazilian municipal elections, we show that Right‐wing mayors spend less on the poor than Left‐wing mayors only in low‐poverty municipalities. In high‐poverty municipalities, not only does the Right match the Left's policies, it also does so while nominating less educated candidates.

Source: American Journal of Political Science

DOI: 10.1111/ajps.12664

Authors: Zuheir Desai, Anderson Frey

Institutions: IE University, University of Rochester

Language: English

Topic: Electoral Systems and Political Participation

Subfield: Political Science and International Relations

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Reduced inequalities, Peace, justice, and strong institutions, No poverty

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,650