Do symbolic penalties work? : evidence from compulsory voting laws in Argentina

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dc.contributor.MentorRossi, Martín A.
dc.creator.AutorMalament, Miriam
dc.date.accessioned2025-09-15T17:32:57Z
dc.date.available2025-09-15T17:32:57Z
dc.date.issued2025-06
dc.descriptionFil: Malament, Miriam. Universidad de San Andrés. Departamento de Economía; Argentina.
dc.description.abstractDo symbolic penalties work? This paper provides causal evidence that even minimal, unenforced legal sanctions can influence civic behavior. I study a 2012 reform in Argentina that introduced optional voting for 16- to 17-year-olds, while voting from age 18 remained compulsory and formally subject to a small, unindexed fine of 50 pesos. Using a regression discontinuity design and administrative data from 15 national elections between 2015 and 2023, I find that turnout increases by about 20 percentage points at age 18, despite negligible enforcement. Complementary evidence from national survey data suggests this effect reflects expressive compliance: symbolic penalties act as normative signals, activating a sense of civic duty rather than deterring through material sanctions. The response is especially pronounced among lower-income and lower-education youth. These findings offer rare causal evidence that symbolic penalties can shape civic behavior by appealing to internalized civic norms rather than fear of punishment.
dc.formatapplication/pdf
dc.identifier.urihttps://repositorio.udesa.edu.ar/handle/10908/25709
dc.languageeng
dc.publisherUniversidad de San Andrés. Departamento de Economía
dc.rightsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.rightshttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
dc.titleDo symbolic penalties work? : evidence from compulsory voting laws in Argentina
dc.typeTesis
dc.typeinfo:eu-repo/semantics/masterThesis
dc.typeinfo:ar-repo/semantics/tesis de maestría
dc.typeinfo:eu-repo/semantics/updatedVersion
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