This book presents state-of-the-art research in political economy dealing with the decision making process under different political institutions. It focuses on the role that states and governments have on political outcomes and on the well-being of individuals, taking into account the differences that arise across autocracies and democracies and within political regimes. The research in this book is embedded with the political economy and social choice traditions and uses the rigorous frameworks of economics, political science and social choice theory to show how institutional settings shape social choices of a group of individuals or a nation. The contributions in this volume use a variety of cutting-edge game theory and mathematical tools as well as data and simulations that coupled with statistical techniques help us gain greater insights into these issues.

Autocratic Health versus Democratic Health: Different outcome variables for health as a factor versus health as a right.- Comparison of Voting Procedures using Models of Electoral Competition with Endogenous Candidacy.- Negative Advertising in Mexicos 2012 Presidential Campaign.- Legislative Leaders as Condorcet Winners? The Case of the U.S. Congress.- The Duverger-Demsetz Perspective on Electoral Competitiveness and Fragmentation: With Application to the Canadian Parliamentary System, 1867 - 2011.- Modelling the effect of campaign advertising on US Presidential Elections.- Personality Traits and the Gender Gap in Ideology.- Statistical Utilitarianism.- Measuring Campaign Spending Effects in Post-Citizens United Congressional Elections.- Spatial Model of U.S. Presidential Election in 2012.- Modeling Elections and Referenda in Ireland.