Stefan Voigt
Dados Biográficos
| ID | 707655 |
|---|---|
| NOME | Stefan Voigt |
| PRENOMES | Stefan |
| SOBRENOME | Voigt |
| ASSINATURA | VOIGT S |
| AFILIAÇÕES | Universität Hamburg |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-5564-3669 |
| VERIFICADO | Sim |
| TOTAL DE OBRAS | 62 |
| TOTAL DE CITAÇÕES | 206 |
| TOTAL COMO AUTOR | 57 |
| TOTAL COMO EDITOR | 5 |
| PRIMEIRO ANO DE PUBLICAÇÃO | 1995 |
| ANO MAIS RECENTE DE PUBLICAÇÃO | 2026 |
| ÍNDICE H | 9 |
Covid and the constitution
The Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021 gave rise to an unprecedented number of emergency declarations across the world. Recent research shows that the transfer of substantial discretionary power to the executive branch in an emergency often gives rise to unlawful and unconstitutional political behaviour. In this paper, we explore if the large number of emergencies during the pandemic were special. We document that they were, in the sense that unl…
Can new constitutions tighten the reins? The effect of constitutional change on constitutional compliance
Constitutional compliance varies significantly across countries and over time. One might, therefore, expect that constitutional change is systematically used to bring constitutional rules in line with constitutional practice. We investigate whether constitutional change indeed induces better compliance by the government with the constitution. Using an event study design to analyze constitutional changes in 171 countries between 1951 and 2020, we …
Measuring constitutional loyalty
We introduce a new concept, constitutional loyalty, which we define as the importance citizens ascribe to their government’s compliance with constitutional rules. Its measurement across countries is challenging due to differences in context, history, and culture. We overcome this challenge by exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic as a setting in which societies around the world face unfamiliar and similar public health challenges, inducing governments…
Coups and constitutional change
Successful coup plotters come to power by disregarding the constraints of their country’s constitution. Yet, 42% of them initiate the writing of a new constitution within three years after their coup. In this paper, we ask under which conditions coup-plotters are particularly likely to instigate a new constitution, whether coups staged by members of the military lead to constitutions different from those instigated by civilian plotters, and in wh…
Leader characteristics and constitutional compliance
How do citizens define and value the rule of law? A conjoint experiment in Germany and Poland
Democratic and rule of law backsliding are observed worldwide, but in Europe these tendencies are particularly salient as they endanger the entire European Union's cohesion.Poland, along with Hungary, has for years been perceived as a member state where the rule of law was in alarming decline.We attempt to understand what enabled this backsliding and to what extent differences in public perception of the rule of law can shed light on this issue.S…
The nation-state foundations of constitutional compliance
Assessing the impact of federalism on constitutional compliance
Federalism is a constitutionalized version of multi-tier governance. Proponents of veto-player theory argue that a high number of veto players leads to a high degree of policy stability. Compared to states with a unitary structure, federal countries, in which at least one sub-central level of government is constitutionally recognized and endowed with some degree of exclusive competences, dispose of a higher number of veto players, who can voice a…
Judicial independence
No man is an island
We analyze possible links between both trust and trustworthiness among Syrian refugees in Germany in relation to two different forms of social networking: bonding networks, which include only other Syrians, and bridging networks, which include people from the host country. Our results show that Syrians who engage in bonding networks show higher levels of trust and (un)conditional trustworthiness when interacting with a Syrian compared to a German…
Militant constitutionalism
Constitutional democracy is in decline and many would-be autocrats try to transgress constitutional constraints. Here, we introduce the concept of militant constitutionalism, which suggests a number of constitutional rules that could make constitutions more resilient to attempts to undermine them. A first empirical evaluation, however, can link only few constitutional paths to enhanced constitutional resilience
How not to write a constitution
On September 4, 2022, Chilean voters massively turned down a constitutional proposal that responded to widely shared criticisms of the 1980 constitution and emerged from a consensual and participatory process. This result is paradoxical because ex ante, the odds seemed largely in favor of changing the status quo. We argue that three factors, which derived from the interaction between rules and political contingency, explain the outcome: a Convent…
This time is different?—on the use of emergency measures during the corona pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has not only caused millions to die and even more to lose their jobs, it has also prompted more governments to simultaneously declare a state of emergency than ever before enabling us to compare their decisions more directly. States of emergency usually imply the extension of executive powers that diminishes the powers of other branches of government, as well as to the civil liberties of individuals. Here, we analyze the use…
Courts as monitoring agents
Unconstitutional States of Emergency
Nine of 10 modern constitutions contain explicit emergency provisions describing who can declare a state of emergency (and under what conditions) and the additional powers the government enjoys under a state of emergency. As states of emergency typically allocate additional powers to the executive, they lend themselves easily to abuse and provide political incentives to declare emergencies. In this paper, we analyze the conditions under which gov…
To cooperate or not to cooperate? An analysis of cooperation and peer punishment among Syrian refugees, Germans, and Jordanians
Do Syrian civil war victims living in exile treat other Syrian refugees more favorably compared to members of the hosting society? We answer this question by analyzing cooperation decisions in a prisoner’s dilemma with a second stage including punishment among Syrian refugees, Germans, and Jordanians, in two host countries, Germany and Jordan. We find that Syrian refugees are more likely to cooperate when they are interacting with another refugee…
When Syria was in Egypt’s land
Emergencies
Nine out of 10 constitutions contain explicit emergency provisions, intended to help governments cope with extraordinary events that endanger many people or the existence of the state. We ask two questions: (1) does the constitutionalization of emergency provisions help governments to cope with disasters and other extraordinary events? (2) What particular parts of emergency constitutions fare best? We find that the more advantages emergency const…
Contracting for Catastrophe
States of emergency are declared frequently in all parts of the world. Their declaration routinely implies a suspension of basic constitutional rights. In the last half century, it has become the norm for constitutions to contain an explicit 'emergency constitution', i.e., the constitutionally safeguarded rules of operation for a state of emergency. In this paper, I ask whether inclusion of an emergency constitution can be legitimized by drawing …
A Sense of No Future in an Uncertain Present
An unprecedented number of refugees from Syria have sought refuge in both the Middle East and Europe since the beginning of the civil war in Syria in 2011. We analyse the level of altruism and risk-seeking among Syrian civil war victims in Jordan. Our participants are university students who interact with both Jordanians and other Syrians. We find systematic variations in the revealed levels of altruism and their willingness to accept risk among …
Is constitutionalized media freedom only window dressing? Evidence from terrorist attacks
Media freedom is often curtailed in the wake of terrorist attacks. In this contribution, we ask whether constitutional provisions that are intended—directly or indirectly—to protect media freedom affect the degree to which press freedom is curtailed after terrorist incidents. We find that neither provisions explicitly protecting media freedom nor provisions that might protect media freedom indirectly (such as those guaranteeing the independence o…
Terrorism and emergency constitutions in the Muslim world
Previous research has indicated that constitutionalized emergency provisions effectively constrain the behaviour of democratic governments subsequent to terrorist attacks. In this article, we ask if this is also true for autocratic governments. Are non-democratic governments equally subject to constitutionalized constraints regarding their reactions to emergencies and particularly to terrorist attacks? To answer the question, we analyse the behav…
Let the data tell their own story
Perception vs. experience
When Does Terror Induce a State of Emergency? And What Are the Effects
The relationship between terrorist activities and states of emergency has never been explored in a cross-country perspective. This article is a first step to change that. Given that a terror act has been committed, what are the factors that lead governments to declare a state of emergency (SOE)—or refrain from declaring it? And given that a SOE has been declared, what are the effects thereof? On the basis of seventy-nine countries all having West…
How not to write a constitution
On September 4, 2022, Chilean voters massively turned down a constitutional proposal that responded to widely shared criticisms of the 1980 constitution and emerged from a consensual and participatory process. This result is paradoxical because ex ante, the odds seemed largely in favor of changing the status quo. We argue that three factors, which derived from the interaction between rules and political contingency, explain the outcome: a Convent…
The economic effects of direct democracy—a first global assessment
When to expect a coup d’état? An extreme bounds analysis of coup determinants
Positive constitutional economics II—a survey of recent developments
The economic effects of constitutions
Positive constitutional economics
When Does Terror Induce a State of Emergency? And What Are the Effects
The relationship between terrorist activities and states of emergency has never been explored in a cross-country perspective. This article is a first step to change that. Given that a terror act has been committed, what are the factors that lead governments to declare a state of emergency (SOE)—or refrain from declaring it? And given that a SOE has been declared, what are the effects thereof? On the basis of seventy-nine countries all having West…
Does direct democracy make for better citizens? A cautionary warning based on cross-country evidence
Federalism and decentralization—a critical survey of frequently used indicators
Emergencies
Nine out of 10 constitutions contain explicit emergency provisions, intended to help governments cope with extraordinary events that endanger many people or the existence of the state. We ask two questions: (1) does the constitutionalization of emergency provisions help governments to cope with disasters and other extraordinary events? (2) What particular parts of emergency constitutions fare best? We find that the more advantages emergency const…
The economic effects of federalism and decentralization—a cross-country assessment
Breaking with the Notion of Social Contract
The rule of law and constitutionalism in Muslim countries
Membership has its Privileges – The Effect of Membership in International Organizations on FDI
Constitutional verbosity and social trust
Improving credibility by delegating judicial competence—the case of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council
The nation-state foundations of constitutional compliance
Militant constitutionalism
Constitutional democracy is in decline and many would-be autocrats try to transgress constitutional constraints. Here, we introduce the concept of militant constitutionalism, which suggests a number of constitutional rules that could make constitutions more resilient to attempts to undermine them. A first empirical evaluation, however, can link only few constitutional paths to enhanced constitutional resilience
Fiscal Effects of Reforming Local Constitutions
Most German states amended their local constitutions during the 1990s and now allow for the direct election of mayors, initiatives and referendums, and vote aggregation, as well as vote splitting. In this paper, it is asked whether these reforms had any effects on local fiscal policies. It is shown that the direct election of mayors led to lower government spending, whereas the introduction of direct democratic elements led to higher expenditures…
On the Delegation of Powers
Coups and constitutional change
Successful coup plotters come to power by disregarding the constraints of their country’s constitution. Yet, 42% of them initiate the writing of a new constitution within three years after their coup. In this paper, we ask under which conditions coup-plotters are particularly likely to instigate a new constitution, whether coups staged by members of the military lead to constitutions different from those instigated by civilian plotters, and in wh…
To cooperate or not to cooperate? An analysis of cooperation and peer punishment among Syrian refugees, Germans, and Jordanians
Do Syrian civil war victims living in exile treat other Syrian refugees more favorably compared to members of the hosting society? We answer this question by analyzing cooperation decisions in a prisoner’s dilemma with a second stage including punishment among Syrian refugees, Germans, and Jordanians, in two host countries, Germany and Jordan. We find that Syrian refugees are more likely to cooperate when they are interacting with another refugee…
Is constitutionalized media freedom only window dressing? Evidence from terrorist attacks
Media freedom is often curtailed in the wake of terrorist attacks. In this contribution, we ask whether constitutional provisions that are intended—directly or indirectly—to protect media freedom affect the degree to which press freedom is curtailed after terrorist incidents. We find that neither provisions explicitly protecting media freedom nor provisions that might protect media freedom indirectly (such as those guaranteeing the independence o…
Separation of powers
The Prosecution of Public Figures and the Separation of Powers. Confusion within the Executive Branch – A Conceptual Framework
Freiburger Beiträge zur Ordnungsökonomik
Freiburger Beiträge zur Ordnungsökonomik
Pure eclecticism?The tool kit of the constitutional economist
Positive constitutional economics
The Role and Evolution of Beliefs, Habits, Moral Norms, and Institutions
Breaking with the Notion of Social Contract
In der Auflosung begriffen. Erkenntnismodelle in Arno Schmidts Spatwerk
Choosing Not To Choose
A first draft of this paper was written while the authors were with the Institute for Advanced Study, Berlin. They would like to thank its staff for its immense hospitality and Dieter Grimm, Larry Lessig, Rico Maggi, Dieter Sadowski, and Janes Sustersic for illuminating discussions of some of the ideas contained in this paper.
On the Delegation of Powers
Economic growth and judicial independence
Rational Foundations of Democratic Politics
Democracy is widely accepted today, perhaps as never before, as the most suitable form of government. But what is democracy, and does it always produce good government? Democracy is often associated with the existence of competitive elections. But theory and experience suggest that these are not sufficient for democracy to function reasonably well. In this book, which was originally published in 2003, a number of experts from North America and Eu…
The Prosecution of Public Figures and the Separation of Powers. Confusion within the Executive Branch – A Conceptual Framework
Conferences on New Political Economy
Increased international interdependence - globalization - has also greatly increased the potential for international conflict in various areas such as trade, competition, the environment, and human rights. Observers have counted up to 40 international courts that serve to settle such conflicts. What are adequate criteria to measure the effectiveness of international courts? What factors explain the differences in their success? What factors expla…
Improving credibility by delegating judicial competence—the case of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council
The Violent and the Weak
This article explores conditions under which dictators comply with a social contract. We assume society to consist of two groups: one with a comparative advantage in using violence, the other with a comparative advantage in producing private goods. Violence can be used to produce security or to exploit the weaker group. The opportunity for exploitation is limited: it reduces the incentives of the exploited to produce private goods and increases t…
Conferences on New Political Economy
Over the past ten years, European competition policy has undergone dramatic change, largely inspired by the European Commission ́s move towards a more economics-based approach. A more economic approach to the application of competition law means that the assessment of each specific case will not be undertaken on the basis of the form or intrinsic nature of a particular practice but rather will be based on a careful examination and weighing of its…
Inflation, Central Bank Independence, and the Legal System
We argue that a higher degree of de facto independence of the legal system from other government branches as well as strong public trust in the working of the legal system may reduce the average inflation rate of countries through two channels: by lowering transaction costs in the economy and by strengthening de facto central bank independence. In the empirical section of the paper, we present evidence in favour of both channels after controlling…
Conferences on New Political Economy
Is science a 'market of ideas'? Not according to the economics of science. Science is competitive, but scientific competition is not market competition. Nor is scientific competition the same as competition between universities. Scientific competition is, first of all, competition between individual scientists. Current science policies shift the boundary between scientific competition, where scientists provide public goods in the hope to acquire …
The Effects of Competition Policy on Development – Cross-Country Evidence Using Four New Indicators
Over the last two decades, many developing countries have introduced competition policies. This paper introduces four new indicators on various aspects of competition laws and competition agencies to make competition policies comparable. These indicators are used to estimate the effects of competition policies and all four contribute at least marginally to explaining differences in total factor productivity. This is also true if developing countr…
Institutionenökonomik
Warum haben weltweit nur einige hundert Millionen Menschen ein sehr hohes Pro-Kopf-Einkommen, während Milliarden unterernährt sind? Warum führt der Import von – andernorts sehr erfolgreichen – Verfassungen häufig nicht zu Wohlstand und Stabilität? Institutionenökonomen beanspruchen, diese Fragen anders und umfassender anzugehen als traditionelle Ökonomen. Die vorliegende Einführung ist nicht nur für Studierende der Wirtschaftswissenschaften geeig…
Separation of powers
The economic effects of direct democracy—a first global assessment
The economic effects of constitutions
The Ripple Effects of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act
»Vielmehr bietet [der Kommentar] auf höchstem Niveau eine substantielle Auseinandersetzung mit den Hintergründen, den Zusammenhängen, der Theorie und der Praxis des Grundgesetzes. Besseres lässt sich von einem Verfassungskommentar nicht sagen.“ Herbert Günther Staaatsanzeiger für das Land Hessen 2018 (50), 1494–1495
Federalism and decentralization—a critical survey of frequently used indicators
Positive constitutional economics II—a survey of recent developments
Political science (56 obras) · Law (47 obras) · Economics (45 obras) · Law (31 obras) · Law and economics (26 obras) · Politics (24 obras) · Judicial and Constitutional Studies (17 obras) · Public finance (14 obras) · Political economy (13 obras) · Government (linguistics (12 obras)