Two Sword Lengths Apart: Credible Commitment Problems and Physical Violence in Democratic National Legislatures

Forthcoming in the Journal of Peace Research

27 Pages Posted: 23 Apr 2012 Last revised: 21 Jul 2015

See all articles by Christopher Gandrud

Christopher Gandrud

City University London - International Political Economy; Hertie School of Governance

Date Written: July 20, 2015

Abstract

Multi-party elected national legislatures should be venues for peacefully resolving conflicts be- tween opposing groups. However, they can become scenes of physical violence. Such violence is an indication that a country's legislative institutions are functioning far from perfectly as legislative actors are deciding to disregard the rules of the ‘game'. In some cases, such as recently in Ukraine, violence can indicate and possibly fuel deeper political divisions. In this first global study of legislative violence, I argue that brawls are more likely when legislators find it difficult to credibly commit to follow peaceful bargaining outcomes. The problem is exacerbated when legislatures are ‘unfair'. Un-fairness is higher and credible commitment problems more acute in countries with disproportion- ate electoral outcomes and new democracies. I find robust evidence for this argument using a case study of legislative violence in the antebellum United States Senate and a new global data set.

Keywords: legislatures, violence, electoral proportionality, institutional design, democratic consolidation

Suggested Citation

Gandrud, Christopher, Two Sword Lengths Apart: Credible Commitment Problems and Physical Violence in Democratic National Legislatures (July 20, 2015). Forthcoming in the Journal of Peace Research , Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2044278 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2044278

Christopher Gandrud (Contact Author)

City University London - International Political Economy ( email )

Northampton Square
London, EC1V 0HB
United Kingdom

Hertie School of Governance ( email )

Schlossplatz 1
Berlin, 10178
Germany

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