Direct democracy and intergenerational conflicts in ageing societies |
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| Authors: | Gabriel M Ahlfeldt Wolfgang Maennig Malte Steenbeck |
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| Institution: | 1. London School of Economics and Political Sciences (LSE), Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR), London, UK;2. Department of Economics, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany |
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| Abstract: | To evaluate the potential effects of population ageing on the outcomes of direct democracy, we analyze the effect of age on voting decisions in public referendums. In a case study of the Stuttgart 21 referendum on one of the largest infrastructure projects in Germany, we find that support for the project decreased significantly in age. A quantitative review of the relevant literature affirms that similar lifecycle patterns appear to be the norm in referendums on projects that require initial expenditures and pay off in the long run. Population ageing, thus, presents a potential threat to investment-like reform projects. |
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| Keywords: | ageing direct democracy intergenerational conflict NIMBY referendum Stuttgart 21 transport voting |
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