Gordon Tullock's Theory of Revolution and Dictatorship

Apolte Thomas


Abstract
We assess Gordon Tullock's work on revolutions and dictatorship using a common analytic framework that captures the dynamics of mutually reinforcing perceptions within a potentially rebelling subgroup of a population. We can reconstruct all of Tullock's central findings but we also find him failing to consider revolutions as an unintended result of individual action in certain low-cost situations. That notwithstanding, one central implication of Tullock's analysis remains intact, namely that no relation can consistently be constructed between the degree of deprivation of a population on the one hand and the probability of an enforced regime change in a public uprising, at least not within the limits of methodological individualism. Hence, whoever aims at strictly inferring macro results from micro behavior must still find Tullock's work on autocracies and revolutions path-breaking.

Keywords
Autocracy; Revolutions; Public Choice



Publication type
Research article (journal)

Peer reviewed
Yes

Publication status
Published

Year
2016

Journal
Constitutional Political Economy

Volume
27

Language
English

ISSN
1043-4062