z-logo
open-access-imgOpen Access
Unequivocal majority and Maskin-monotonicity
Author(s) -
Pablo Amorós
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
social choice and welfare
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.504
H-Index - 52
eISSN - 1432-217X
pISSN - 0176-1714
DOI - 10.1007/s00355-009-0377-5
Subject(s) - condorcet method , social choice theory , monotonic function , majority rule , mathematical economics , mathematics , pairwise comparison , consistency (knowledge bases) , combinatorics , discrete mathematics , voting , statistics , computer science , artificial intelligence , mathematical analysis , politics , political science , law
The unequivocal majority of a social choice rule is a number of agents such that whenever at least this many agents agree on the top alternative, then this alternative (and only this) is chosen. The smaller the unequivocal majority is, the closer it is to the standard (and accepted) majority concept. The question is how small can the unequivocal majority be and still permit the Nash-implementability of the social choice rule; i.e., its Maskin-monotonicity. We show that the smallest unequivocal majority compatible with Maskin-monotonicity is $${n-\left\lfloor \frac{n-1}{m} \right\rfloor}$$ , where n ≥ 3 is the number of agents and m ≥ 3 is the number of alternatives. This value is equal to the minimal number required for a majority to ensure the non-existence of cycles in pairwise comparisons. Our result has a twofold implication: (1) there is no Condorcet consistent social choice rule satisfying Maskin-monotonicity and (2) a social choice rule satisfies k-Condorcet consistency and Maskin-monotonicity if and only if $${k\geq n-\left\lfloor \frac{n-1}{m}\right\rfloor}$$.

The content you want is available to Zendy users.

Already have an account? Click here to sign in.
Having issues? You can contact us here
Accelerating Research

Address

John Eccles House
Robert Robinson Avenue,
Oxford Science Park, Oxford
OX4 4GP, United Kingdom