Alois Stutzer Recommends "Political Selection" by Timothy Besley

When a gulf opens up between citizens and politicians, as some diagnose for Western democracies these days, competitive elections are traditionally seen as a sanctioning mechanism that retrospective voters as principals use to tame their agents. In his contribution entitled "Political Selection", Tim Besley greatly complements this view with a rich set of considerations and ideas. He emphasizes that the delegation problem should also be addressed by focusing on selecting competent and honest people into public office.