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Russian Voting and the Initial Economic Shock of Hyperinflation

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Abstract

This paper addresses the issue of economicvoting in transitional democracies using data from the Russianfederal elections. It argues that the shock of inflation thatfollowed the fundamental economic reform has a lastinginfluence on voters. Specifically, it shows that in Russia,where inflationary policy led to hyperinflation and thewidespread loss of personal savings, the magnitude of savingslost at that time continues to explain a significant portionof the variation in the regional support for the Communistparty in parliamentary and presidential elections.

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  1. Political Science Department, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, 63130, U.S.A.

    Mikhail G. Filippov

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Filippov, M.G. Russian Voting and the Initial Economic Shock of Hyperinflation. Public Choice 111, 73–104 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015149913728

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