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<p>We investigate the impact of territorial fragmentation on political representation by applying Taagepera’s <i>cube root law</i> to subnational governments. Our model reveals that the total number of local representatives is more elastic to changes in the number of jurisdictions (elasticity <InlineEquation ID="IEq1"> <EquationSource Format="TEX">\(e=2/3\)</EquationSource> <EquationSource Format="MATHML"><math> <mrow> <mi>e</mi> <mo>=</mo> <mn>2</mn> <mo stretchy="false">/</mo> <mn>3</mn> </mrow> </math></EquationSource> </InlineEquation>) than to variations in population size (<InlineEquation ID="IEq2"> <EquationSource Format="TEX">\(e=1/3\)</EquationSource> <EquationSource Format="MATHML"><math> <mrow> <mi>e</mi> <mo>=</mo> <mn>1</mn> <mo stretchy="false">/</mo> <mn>3</mn> </mrow> </math></EquationSource> </InlineEquation>), a relationship we refer to as the <i>law of 2/3</i>. As a result, fragmented areas experience amplified political representation. We show that the <i>cube root law</i> holds at the municipal level across 13 countries, albeit imperfectly. Empirical evidence from French municipalities further supports the <i>law of 2/3</i>.</p>

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Why so many representatives? Extending the cube root law to local assemblies

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年7月9日

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  • Benoît Le Maux,
  • Sonia Paty

摘要

We investigate the impact of territorial fragmentation on political representation by applying Taagepera’s cube root law to subnational governments. Our model reveals that the total number of local representatives is more elastic to changes in the number of jurisdictions (elasticity \(e=2/3\) e = 2 / 3 ) than to variations in population size ( \(e=1/3\) e = 1 / 3 ), a relationship we refer to as the law of 2/3. As a result, fragmented areas experience amplified political representation. We show that the cube root law holds at the municipal level across 13 countries, albeit imperfectly. Empirical evidence from French municipalities further supports the law of 2/3.