THE DEVELOPMENT AND DECLINE OF MEDIEVAL VOTING INSTITUTIONS: A COMPARISON OF ENGLAND AND FRANCE
Yoram Barzel|Edgar Kiser
This paper argues that in the middle ages voting institutions emerged as mechanisms allowed rulers to cooperate with subjects on mutually profitable projects. In spite of their utility, many these eventually declined. We test model English parliament and French estates general. The historical evidence strongly supports our view declined France, but not England, due increases heterogeneity voters' interests insecurity rulers, since factors made cooperation between more difficult.
Economic Inquiry