Research

Publication :

Barriola, I.; Deffains, B.; & Musy, O. (2023). Law and inequality: A comparative approach to the distributive implications of legal systems. International Review of Law and Economics, 106139. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0144818823000170

Abstract

The literature on legal traditions focuses on the comparative macroeconomic effects of legal systems, concentrating on efficiency alone and leaving distributive issues to taxation. However, a country’s legal structure also conditions the primary distribution of income and may have a comparative advantage over taxation as a distributive instrument. We use cross-section and panel estimates to show that the level of income inequality in a country is correlated with its legal system. By several measures of inequality, common law countries are on average more unequal than civil law countries. We explain these results by the nature of the systems. The looser regulation in common law countries limits their capacity to achieve social objectives such as combating income inequality.

Working Papers :

The Death of Distance: Internet and Political Trust in Africa, with R. Chaba (LEMMA)

Draft: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=5377974

Abstract

This paper shows that internet use reduces spatial disparities in political trust within Sub-Saharan African countries. We combine geocoded surveys across 17 countries (2013-2021) with mobile internet coverage data. First, we use a border discontinuity design comparing ethnic groups divided by national boundaries to show that remote citizens report higher political trust than those near capital cities. Then, we estimate how internet use interacts with distance from capital to affect political trust, adopting two instrumental variable strategies using 3G coverage and lightning strike frequency. We find that internet use reduces the distance trust relationship by cutting information costs. Remote citizens become more critical, aligning with opinions typically found near capitals. The effects are stronger in countries with high corruption and where governments capture traditional media. These changes translate into increased demand for political accountability and reduced electoral support for incumbents.

Electoral Inequalities and Outcomes in France: An Algorithmic Redistricting Approach

Job Market Paper

Draft: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=6113887

Abstract

This paper examines the impact of electoral geography and redistricting on political representation in France. Using an algorithmic approach, we generate 1,000 alternative redistricting plans for 72 departments based on the 2017 legislative election. These simulated plans allow us to analyze two main issues. First, we study how alternative district maps affect electoral outcomes. We show that the electoral performance of the far right and the right is highly sensitive to redistricting, while the left exhibits intermediate sensitivity and the center limited sensitivity. We propose a definition to identify atypical redistricting plans at the departmental level associated with partisan bias, which can be linked to gerrymandering. Second, we assess how French electoral geography may generate inequalities in representation. Because voters in small constituencies carry more electoral weight than those in large ones, we analyze population imbalances across constituencies. Moreover, as political preferences are not proportionally distributed, some groups may be overrepresented or underrepresented. We examine how electoral geography may structurally misrepresent certain groups of voters. Beyond voting preferences, we conduct the same analysis for groups defined by socioeconomic characteristics.

Ongoing Research :

The Politics of Redistricting: Incumbent Advantage and Partisan Bias in France
Electoral Districts and Political Inequality: The French Case Study (1973-2012), with N. Kabbadj
Project on Ethnicity, Trust and Internet in Africa with P. André, Chaba, R., & P. Maarek

Reports :

Barriola, I., & Deffains, B., (2021). Systèmes juridiques et inégalités, Rapport pour la fondation pour le droit continental

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