?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.relation=http%3A%2F%2Feprints.imtlucca.it%2F782%2F&rft.title=War+and+endogenous+democracy&rft.creator=Ticchi%2C+Davide&rft.creator=Vindigni%2C+Andrea&rft.subject=HB+Economic+Theory&rft.subject=JA+Political+science+(General)&rft.description=Many+episodes+of+extension+of+franchise+in+the+19th+and+especially+in+the+20th+century+occurred+during+or+in+the+aftermath+of+major+wars.+Motivated+by+this+fact%2C+we+offer+a+theory+of+political+transitions+which+focuses+on+the+impact+of+international+conflicts+on+domestic+political+institutions.+We+argue+that+mass-armies%2C+which+appeared+in+Europe+after+the+French+Revolution%2C+are+an+effective+military+organization+only+if+the+conscripted+citizens+are+willing+to+put+effort+in+fighting+wars%2C+which+in+turn+depends+on+the+economic+incentives+that+are+provided+to+them.+The+need+to+provide+such+incentives+implies+that+an+oligarchy+adopting+a+mass-army+may+voluntarily+decide+to+promise+some+amount+of+income+redistribution+to+its+citizens%2C+conditionally+on+satisfactory+performance+as+soldiers.+When+the+elite+cannot+credibly+commit+to+provide+an+incentive-compatible+redistribution%2C+they+may+cope+with+the+moral+hazard+problem+of+the+citizens-soldiers+only+by+relinquishing+political+power+to+them+through+the+extension+of+franchise.+This+is+because+democracy+always+implements+a+highly+redistributive+fiscal+policy%2C+which+makes+fighting+hard+incentive-compatible+for+the+citizens-soldiers.+We+show+that+a+transition+to+democracy+is+more+likely+to+occur+when+the+external+threat+faced+by+an+incumbent+oligarchy+is+in+some+sense+intermediate.+A+very+high+external+threat+allows+the+elite+to+make+credible+commitments+of+future+income+redistribution+in+favor+of+the+citizens%2C+while+a+limited+external+threat+makes+optimal+for+the+elite+not+making+any+(economic+or+political)+concession+to+the+masses.+Some+historical+evidence+consistent+with+our+theory+is+also+provided.+&rft.publisher=IZA+Discussion+paper&rft.date=2008&rft.type=Working+Paper&rft.type=NonPeerReviewed&rft.format=application%2Fpdf&rft.language=en&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Feprints.imtlucca.it%2F782%2F1%2FTicchi_2008.pdf&rft.identifier=++Ticchi%2C+Davide+and+Vindigni%2C+Andrea++War+and+endogenous+democracy.++Discussion+Paper++%23+%2F2008++++IZA+Discussion+paper+++++++++&rft.relation=http%3A%2F%2Fftp.iza.org%2Fdp3397.pdf