1---
 2meta: 
 3  date: false
 4  reading_time: false
 5title: "Borda Count"
 6date: 2023-10-05
 7description: "A voting system where voters rank alternatives, assigning points based on ranks, which are then summed to determine the winner."
 8tags: ["voting systems", "collective choice", "majority voting", "Borda count", "economics"]
 9---
10
11## Background
12The Borda count is a method of preferential voting which enables voters to rank options in order of preference. This system captures more information about voter preferences than a single-choice ballot, making it valuable in scenarios where multiple alternatives exist.
13
14## Historical Context
15The Borda count was devised in 1770 by the French mathematician Jean-Charles de Borda. It was initially structured as a method to reduce partisanship and capture a more comprehensive understanding of societal preferences in elections and decision-making.
16
17## Definitions and Concepts
18In the Borda count, each voter ranks n number of candidates or alternatives. The first choice is awarded n points, the second choice n-1 points, and this continues sequentially until the lowest ranking alternative receives 1 point. If an alternative isn't ranked by a voter, it receives 0 points. The points across all voters are then compiled, and the alternative with the highest total points is declared the winner. 
19
20## Major Analytical Frameworks
21
22### Classical Economics
23Classical economics doesn’t typically engage with voting methods, but the Borda count could influence democratic governance and thereby indirectly impact economic policy decisions made through collective choice.
24
25### Neoclassical Economics
26Neoclassical economists might focus on how Borda counts align individual preferences with societal welfare maximizing choices and the efficiency of this voting mechanism in aggregating preferences.
27
28### Keynesian Economics
29From a Keynesian perspective, understanding the collective decision-making processes can influence public policy formation and implementation especially in budgeting priorities and fiscal policies.
30
31### Marxian Economics
32The Borda count system can also be analyzed from a Marxist perspective, considering how it might affect democratization and class interests in political decision-making.
33
34### Institutional Economics
35Scholars in institutional economics might study how the Borda count and various voting systems affect institutional structures, and how these can reduce information asymmetries and rent-seeking behaviors.
36
37### Behavioral Economics
38Behavioral economists could investigate how the complexity of ranking influences voter behavior and the cognitive biases in providing truthful preferences.
39
40### Post-Keynesian Economics
41Post-Keynesians might analyze how Borda count voting can capture genuine societal preferences, impacting stabilizing economic policies and consumption patterns.
42
43### Austrian Economics
44Austrian economic perspectives might look at individual agency within the voting process and how Borda count influences spontaneous order and market predictions.
45
46### Development Economics
47In the realm of development economics, using Borda counts might ideally express localized preferences more robustly, informing better-targeted interventions and policies.
48
49### Monetarism
50While monetarist thoughts are centered around monetary policy, the understanding of collective decision-making can still offer insights into policy formation practices that indirectly impact economic variables governed by monetarist principles.
51
52## Comparative Analysis
53The Borda count can be compared with other voting systems like majority voting, runoff voting, or single transferable voting (STV). Each system has distinct mechanisms and influences election outcomes differently, especially concerning the representativeness of winners based on voter preferences.
54
55## Case Studies
56Borda count implementations can be found in multi-member constituencies of Slovenia, certain legislative and policy decisions frameworks, academic league evaluations, and even in International Chess Federation elections.
57
58## Suggested Books for Further Studies
591. "Mathematics of Social Choice: Voting, Compensation, and Division" by Christoph Börgers
602. "Social Choice and Individual Values" by Kenneth J. Arrow
613. "Combinatorial Optimization: Algorithms and Complexity" by Christos H. Papadimitriou and Kenneth Steiglitz
62
63## Related Terms with Definitions
64- **Majority Voting**: A voting system in which the candidate or option that receives more than half of the votes wins.
65- **Collective Choice**: The process of making decisions that reflect the preferences of a group rather than individuals.
66- **Single Transferable Vote (STV)**: A voting method in which votes can be transferred to help insure proportional representation.