Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0
Series: Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers
Creation-Date: 2023-05-08
Number: 23-027/V
Author-Name: Robert Dur
Author-Workplace-Name: Erasmus University Rotterdam
Author-Name: Arjan Non
Author-Workplace-Name: Erasmus University Rotterdam
Author-Name: Paul Prottung
Author-Name: Benedetta Ricci
Title: Who’s Afraid of Policy Experiments?
Abstract: In many public policy areas, randomized policy experiments can greatly contribute
to our knowledge of the effects of policies and can thus help to improve public
policy. However, policy experiments are not very common. This paper studies
whether a lack of appreciation of policy experiments among voters may be the
reason for this. Using unique survey data representative of the Dutch electorate,
we find clear evidence contradicting this view. Voters strongly support policy
experimentation and, in line with theory, particularly so when they do not hold a
strong opinion about the policy. In a subsequent survey experiment among Dutch
politicians, we find that politicians conform their expressed opinion about policy
experiments to what we tell them the actual opinion of voters is. We conclude
that voters are not afraid of policy experiments and neither are politicians when
we tell them that voters are not.
Classification-JEL: C93, D72, D78
Keywords: policy experiments, randomized controlled trials, voters, politicians, public policy, survey experiment, conformism.
File-URL: https://papers.tinbergen.nl/23027.pdf
File-Format: application/pdf
File-Size: 14.656.535.278 bytes
Handle: RePEc:tin:wpaper:20230027