A dynamic model of voter behavior and the demand for public goods among social groups in Great Britain

Abstract

A dynamic model of voter behavior is discussed, explaining transitions in party choice by imputed party responsibilities with respect to public and private consumption possibilities. The model uses a group framework to explicitly describe voter interests. It allows for an estimation of the relative preference for public goods, as determined by the revealed preference mechanism of voting. The model is compared to popularity functions in their general form. An empirical application to Great Britain is presented. It appears that retired individuals have the highest relative preferences for public goods, followed by housewives/men, manual workers, self-employed and non-manual workers.