369:
He claimed that most voters have incomplete information when voting for political candidates in a democracy, and therefore will resort to economic issues of "how much government intervention in the economy there should be" and how parties will control this. Downs borrowed the curve from
448:. Therefore, expanding the expressway network does not help against traffic jams. A complex set of forces lie behind this law, which were analyzed by presentation of a model of commuter decision-making and its underlying set of assumptions. Sometimes this effect is referred to as
589:
Downs met his first wife, Mary
Katherine Watson, at a high-school prom. During this time, he challenged her to a game of chess, which she won. The couple were married in 1956. They had five children. Kay died in 1998 from
722:
475:
for its insistence on the futility of congestion relief measures. However, enough of his gloomy predictions about congestion were proven correct that he successfully published a second edition,
273:
in 1952. During this time he was the elected president of the college student body. He would later credit this experience for some of his interests in studying democracy. He went to the
456:
stated that the capacity of a highway or motorway increases with decreasing traffic speed, until its maximum capacity is reached at about 50 km/h (30 mph). (Cf.
224:(1962), he predicted that expanding expressways could not reduce traffic congestion, since demand would increase as well, and that reducing speeds increases capacity.
248:
1246:
1140:
1221:
1327:
262:. His father was the founder of a consulting firm, Real Estate Research Corporation, and a frequent speaker on real estate related topics. He grew up in
313:
838:
1722:
483:
300:. He quit the service after three years to join his father's consulting firm and also briefly served as a member of the faculty at the
1076:
1016:
329:
328:
appointed him to the
Advisory Commission on Regulatory Barriers to Affordable Housing in 1989. He was an officer or trustee of the
374:, who developed it to explain how grocery stores targeted customers. Downs's book has since become one of the most cited books in
1687:
1320:
1717:
574:
240:
549:, an American thinktank, in 1977. He continued his work on housing policies and traffic issues management at the institute.
472:
274:
1702:
689:
1287:
1313:
1190:
897:
Rogers, W. Hayward (June 1959). "Some
Methodological Difficulties in Anthony Downs's An Economic Theory of Democracy".
1692:
1712:
1707:
1697:
554:
346:
312:
Downs served as a consultant to many of the nation's largest corporations and public institutions, including the
204:
1210:
940:
Downs, Anthony (1977). "The Impact of
Housing Policies on Family Life in the United States since World War II".
433:(1985) predicted a long-term housing slowdown and decrease in housing prices. Downs had involved himself with
1114:
802:
854:
1336:
1159:
1182:
20:
552:
He was the author or co-author of 24 books and more than 500 articles. His most influential books are
397:, which claimed that significant elements of political life could not be explained in terms of voter
1094:
1542:
1398:
1037:
Rosenbloom, Sandra. "Still Stuck in
Traffic: Coping with Peak-hour Traffic Congestion". p. 458 in:
523:
515:
434:
199:
984:
507:
187:
968:
606:
178:(November 21, 1930 – October 2, 2021) was an American economist specializing in
824:
1172:
640:
546:
503:
301:
236:
228:
183:
109:
1682:
1677:
1605:
1524:
1355:
1073:
401:. Downs showed that in democracies the aggregate distribution of political opinion forms a
293:
263:
148:
121:
1247:"Anthony Downs, who viewed politics and traffic through the lens of economics, dies at 90"
798:
Conceptualising the left-right continuum as an enduring dimension of political competition
8:
1552:
1514:
1008:
457:
402:
379:
278:
140:
796:
1451:
1056:
949:
922:
914:
879:
871:
832:
611:
495:
446:
urban commuter expressways, peak-hour traffic congestion rises to meet maximum capacity
426:
351:
259:
195:
99:
74:
51:
324:
appointed him to the
National Commission on Urban Problems in 1967, and HUD Secretary
1656:
1567:
1532:
1254:
1186:
1060:
926:
883:
817:
697:
648:
567:
467:(1992), which detailed the economic disadvantages of traffic congestion and proposed
406:
394:
375:
355:
321:
297:
217:
159:
1504:
1413:
1408:
1403:
1365:
1048:
980:
906:
863:
482:
Downs's recommendations are starting to see implementation, largely in the form of
371:
296:
when he was drafted. During this time he also served on an aircraft carrier in the
270:
232:
163:
135:
131:
95:
1651:
1621:
1595:
1494:
1388:
1144:
1098:
1080:
405:, with most voters possessing moderate opinions; he argued that this fact forces
398:
359:
1125:
597:
Anthony Downs died of natural causes in
Bethesda, Maryland, on October 2, 2021.
1646:
1590:
1585:
1580:
1537:
1461:
1441:
1370:
616:
591:
449:
144:
1305:
1052:
772:
1671:
1631:
1626:
1509:
1489:
1484:
1479:
1418:
1393:
1258:
701:
652:
578:
563:
487:
244:
213:
179:
1636:
1575:
1557:
1499:
1469:
1446:
1423:
1350:
1178:
468:
422:
383:
363:
191:
747:
341:
1641:
1600:
1474:
1433:
1360:
317:
953:
562:(1967); widely translated, both are credited as major influences on the
269:
He received a B.A. in international relations and political theory from
1380:
918:
875:
1296:
1137:
519:
499:
325:
282:
910:
1290:
867:
852:
Black, Duncan (1948). "On the
Rationale of Group Decision-making".
527:
410:
393:(1957), an early work in rational choice theory, Downs posited the
55:
421:
Later, Downs concerned himself with housing policy, writing about
491:
289:
471:
as the only effective means of alleviating it, was denounced by
1300:
641:"Tony Downs, Economist Who Studied Why People Vote, Dies at 90"
511:
594:. Downs later married his second wife Darian Dreyfuss Olsen.
539:
535:
531:
748:"Anthony Downs – Senior Fellow, Metropolitan Policy Program"
1283:
498:, already implemented in several cities around the world:
1171:
Wigfall, Patricia Moss; Kalantari, Behrooz, eds. (2001).
378:. His left–right axis model has been integrated into the
335:
1091:
258:
James
Anthony Downs was born on November 21, 1930, in
1138:"Milan Introduces Congestion Charge To Cut Pollution"
366:
parties that demand an entirely deregulated economy.
1115:"Valletta traffic congestion considerably reduced"
816:
281:on a scholarship to pursue his M.A. and Ph.D. in
1669:
1174:Biographical Dictionary of Public Administration
1170:
314:U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
212:(1967), which have been major influences on the
1335:
997:Highway Capacity Manual 1965, figures 3.38–3.45
690:"Economist Explained Politics and Traffic Jams"
1321:
416:
1041:Journal of the American Planning Association
969:"The law of peak-hour expressway congestion"
354:to economic theory. On the "left" he placed
442:Downs's Law of Peak-Hour Traffic Congestion
222:Downs's Law of Peak-Hour Traffic Congestion
1328:
1314:
837:: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
249:National Academy of Public Administration.
247:. Downs was also an elected fellow of the
1288:podcast of a presentation by him called,
634:
632:
330:NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund
202:. He wrote a number of books including,
777:American Academy of Arts & Sciences
687:
638:
1670:
1160:"Congestion fee leaves Milan in a jam"
1074:"Road pricing: Singapore's experience"
1019:from the original on December 19, 2019
896:
688:Hagerty, James R. (October 28, 2021).
629:
336:Democracy and the left–right continuum
1309:
1227:from the original on October 29, 2021
1204:
1202:
1006:
966:
939:
851:
814:
575:Public Policy Institute of California
431:The Revolution in Real Estate Finance
241:Public Policy Institute of California
1208:
1164:
1007:Downs, Anthony (November 30, 2001).
740:
715:
683:
681:
679:
677:
675:
673:
671:
669:
227:He served as a senior fellow at the
452:. By the same token, e.g. the 1965
285:, obtaining his doctorate in 1956.
13:
1723:Member of the Mont Pelerin Society
1211:"PPIC: California's Inland Empire"
1209:Down, Anthony (November 1, 2005).
1199:
723:"Executive Profile: Anthony Downs"
14:
1734:
1276:
1126:"Milan introduces traffic charge"
1047:(4): 453–471. December 31, 2005.
899:American Political Science Review
666:
639:Roberts, Sam (November 3, 2021).
584:
573:He was a visiting fellow at the
186:. His research focuses included
1239:
1153:
1131:
1119:
1108:
1085:
1067:
1031:
1000:
991:
960:
933:
819:An Economic Theory of Democracy
555:An Economic Theory of Democracy
391:An Economic Theory of Democracy
362:, and on the "right" he placed
347:An Economic Theory of Democracy
205:An Economic Theory of Democracy
1688:People from Evanston, Illinois
890:
845:
808:
790:
765:
16:American economist (1930–2021)
1:
1092:"Controlled Vehicular Access"
803:European University Institute
622:
440:In 1962, Downs published his
253:
239:and a visiting fellow at the
1718:Brookings Institution people
855:Journal of Political Economy
7:
1337:Chicago school of economics
600:
350:(1957), Downs introduced a
275:Graduate School of Business
235:, member of faculty at the
10:
1739:
1703:Stanford University alumni
1282:Simon Fraser University's
444:. This law states that on
417:Housing and traffic policy
21:Anthony Downs (race track)
18:
1614:
1566:
1523:
1460:
1432:
1379:
1343:
1053:10.1080/01944360508976716
752:The Brookings Institution
581:, between 2004 and 2005.
307:
169:
155:
127:
115:
105:
91:
86:
82:
63:
37:
30:
1693:Economists from Illinois
1143:August 31, 2020, at the
1009:"Still Stuck in Traffic"
524:Stockholm congestion tax
516:London congestion charge
435:transportation economics
409:in democracies to adopt
200:transportation economics
19:For the race track, see
1713:RAND Corporation people
1708:Public choice theorists
1698:Carleton College alumni
1079:April 10, 2008, at the
967:Downs, A. (July 1962).
815:Downs, Anthony (1957).
508:Electronic Road Pricing
454:Highway Capacity Manual
360:state-planned economies
266:, a suburb of Chicago.
188:political choice theory
1097:March 6, 2012, at the
727:Bloomberg Businessweek
607:Rational choice theory
477:Still Stuck in Traffic
547:Brookings Institution
504:Area Licensing Scheme
382:first articulated by
302:University of Chicago
237:University of Chicago
229:Brookings Institution
184:public administration
110:Brookings Institution
1637:Julian Lincoln Simon
1615:Business and finance
1606:Frank H. Easterbrook
1525:Public choice school
1462:New social economics
1434:New economic history
1356:Henry Calvert Simons
823:. New York. p.
490:of crowded American
294:intelligence officer
264:Park Ridge, Illinois
122:Public Choice school
1553:William A. Niskanen
694:Wall Street Journal
486:(HOT) lanes in the
484:high-occupancy toll
380:median voter theory
358:that want entirely
288:He enlisted in the
279:Stanford University
141:Stanford University
1452:Robert M. Townsend
1185:. pp. 25–27.
645:The New York Times
612:Rational ignorance
560:Inside Bureaucracy
496:congestion pricing
427:affordable housing
260:Evanston, Illinois
210:Inside Bureaucracy
196:affordable housing
100:Political sciences
75:Bethesda, Maryland
1665:
1664:
1657:Lars Peter Hansen
1568:Law and economics
1533:James M. Buchanan
973:Traffic Quarterly
568:political economy
473:traffic engineers
407:political parties
403:bell-shaped curve
395:paradox of voting
376:political science
356:communist parties
322:Lyndon B. Johnson
298:Mediterranean Sea
292:and served as an
218:political economy
173:
172:
160:Joseph Schumpeter
48:November 21, 1930
1730:
1543:Randall Holcombe
1505:Sudhir Venkatesh
1414:Allan H. Meltzer
1409:Harry G. Johnson
1404:Phillip D. Cagan
1366:Theodore Schultz
1330:
1323:
1316:
1307:
1306:
1270:
1269:
1267:
1265:
1243:
1237:
1236:
1234:
1232:
1226:
1215:
1206:
1197:
1196:
1168:
1162:
1157:
1151:
1135:
1129:
1123:
1117:
1112:
1106:
1089:
1083:
1071:
1065:
1064:
1035:
1029:
1028:
1026:
1024:
1004:
998:
995:
989:
988:
985:2027/uc1.$ b3477
964:
958:
957:
937:
931:
930:
894:
888:
887:
849:
843:
842:
836:
828:
822:
812:
806:
794:
788:
787:
785:
783:
769:
763:
762:
760:
758:
744:
738:
737:
735:
733:
719:
713:
712:
710:
708:
685:
664:
663:
661:
659:
636:
465:Stuck in Traffic
458:Braess's paradox
372:Harold Hotelling
271:Carleton College
233:Washington, D.C.
164:Kenneth J. Arrow
132:Carleton College
96:Public economics
70:
47:
45:
28:
27:
1738:
1737:
1733:
1732:
1731:
1729:
1728:
1727:
1668:
1667:
1666:
1661:
1652:Campbell Harvey
1622:Harry Markowitz
1610:
1596:Richard Epstein
1562:
1519:
1495:Kevin M. Murphy
1456:
1428:
1389:Milton Friedman
1375:
1339:
1334:
1279:
1274:
1273:
1263:
1261:
1251:Washington Post
1245:
1244:
1240:
1230:
1228:
1224:
1213:
1207:
1200:
1193:
1169:
1165:
1158:
1154:
1145:Wayback Machine
1136:
1132:
1124:
1120:
1113:
1109:
1099:Wayback Machine
1090:
1086:
1081:Wayback Machine
1072:
1068:
1038:
1036:
1032:
1022:
1020:
1005:
1001:
996:
992:
965:
961:
938:
934:
911:10.2307/1952158
895:
891:
850:
846:
830:
829:
813:
809:
795:
791:
781:
779:
773:"Anthony Downs"
771:
770:
766:
756:
754:
746:
745:
741:
731:
729:
721:
720:
716:
706:
704:
686:
667:
657:
655:
637:
630:
625:
603:
587:
419:
352:left–right axis
338:
310:
256:
162:
139:
128:Alma mater
117:
98:
87:Academic career
78:
72:
68:
67:October 2, 2021
59:
49:
43:
41:
33:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1736:
1726:
1725:
1720:
1715:
1710:
1705:
1700:
1695:
1690:
1685:
1680:
1663:
1662:
1660:
1659:
1654:
1649:
1647:Kenneth French
1644:
1639:
1634:
1629:
1624:
1618:
1616:
1612:
1611:
1609:
1608:
1603:
1598:
1593:
1591:Richard Posner
1588:
1586:William Landes
1583:
1581:Aaron Director
1578:
1572:
1570:
1564:
1563:
1561:
1560:
1555:
1550:
1545:
1540:
1538:Gordon Tullock
1535:
1529:
1527:
1521:
1520:
1518:
1517:
1512:
1507:
1502:
1497:
1492:
1487:
1482:
1477:
1472:
1466:
1464:
1458:
1457:
1455:
1454:
1449:
1444:
1442:Douglass North
1438:
1436:
1430:
1429:
1427:
1426:
1421:
1416:
1411:
1406:
1401:
1396:
1391:
1385:
1383:
1377:
1376:
1374:
1373:
1371:George Stigler
1368:
1363:
1358:
1353:
1347:
1345:
1341:
1340:
1333:
1332:
1325:
1318:
1310:
1304:
1303:
1294:
1278:
1277:External links
1275:
1272:
1271:
1238:
1198:
1192:978-0313302039
1191:
1163:
1152:
1130:
1118:
1107:
1103:CVA Technology
1084:
1066:
1030:
999:
990:
979:(3): 393–409.
959:
948:(2): 163–180.
932:
905:(2): 483–485.
889:
868:10.1086/256633
844:
807:
789:
764:
739:
714:
665:
627:
626:
624:
621:
620:
619:
617:Induced demand
614:
609:
602:
599:
592:ovarian cancer
586:
583:
545:He joined the
494:, and through
450:Induced demand
418:
415:
337:
334:
316:(HUD) and the
309:
306:
255:
252:
171:
170:
167:
166:
157:
153:
152:
129:
125:
124:
119:
116:School or
113:
112:
107:
103:
102:
93:
89:
88:
84:
83:
80:
79:
73:
71:(aged 90)
65:
61:
60:
50:
39:
35:
34:
31:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1735:
1724:
1721:
1719:
1716:
1714:
1711:
1709:
1706:
1704:
1701:
1699:
1696:
1694:
1691:
1689:
1686:
1684:
1681:
1679:
1676:
1675:
1673:
1658:
1655:
1653:
1650:
1648:
1645:
1643:
1640:
1638:
1635:
1633:
1632:Merton Miller
1630:
1628:
1627:Myron Scholes
1625:
1623:
1620:
1619:
1617:
1613:
1607:
1604:
1602:
1599:
1597:
1594:
1592:
1589:
1587:
1584:
1582:
1579:
1577:
1574:
1573:
1571:
1569:
1565:
1559:
1556:
1554:
1551:
1549:
1548:Anthony Downs
1546:
1544:
1541:
1539:
1536:
1534:
1531:
1530:
1528:
1526:
1522:
1516:
1513:
1511:
1510:Steven Levitt
1508:
1506:
1503:
1501:
1498:
1496:
1493:
1491:
1490:Sherwin Rosen
1488:
1486:
1485:Thomas Sowell
1483:
1481:
1480:James Heckman
1478:
1476:
1473:
1471:
1468:
1467:
1465:
1463:
1459:
1453:
1450:
1448:
1445:
1443:
1440:
1439:
1437:
1435:
1431:
1425:
1422:
1420:
1419:David Laidler
1417:
1415:
1412:
1410:
1407:
1405:
1402:
1400:
1397:
1395:
1394:Anna Schwartz
1392:
1390:
1387:
1386:
1384:
1382:
1378:
1372:
1369:
1367:
1364:
1362:
1359:
1357:
1354:
1352:
1349:
1348:
1346:
1342:
1338:
1331:
1326:
1324:
1319:
1317:
1312:
1311:
1308:
1302:
1298:
1295:
1293:
1291:
1285:
1281:
1280:
1260:
1256:
1252:
1248:
1242:
1223:
1219:
1212:
1205:
1203:
1194:
1188:
1184:
1180:
1176:
1175:
1167:
1161:
1156:
1150:
1146:
1142:
1139:
1134:
1127:
1122:
1116:
1111:
1105:, May 1, 2007
1104:
1100:
1096:
1093:
1088:
1082:
1078:
1075:
1070:
1062:
1058:
1054:
1050:
1046:
1042:
1034:
1018:
1014:
1010:
1003:
994:
986:
982:
978:
974:
970:
963:
955:
951:
947:
943:
936:
928:
924:
920:
916:
912:
908:
904:
900:
893:
885:
881:
877:
873:
869:
865:
861:
857:
856:
848:
840:
834:
826:
821:
820:
811:
805:, 1996, p. 8.
804:
800:
799:
793:
778:
774:
768:
753:
749:
743:
728:
724:
718:
703:
699:
695:
691:
684:
682:
680:
678:
676:
674:
672:
670:
654:
650:
646:
642:
635:
633:
628:
618:
615:
613:
610:
608:
605:
604:
598:
595:
593:
585:Personal life
582:
580:
579:San Francisco
576:
571:
569:
565:
564:public choice
561:
557:
556:
550:
548:
543:
541:
537:
533:
529:
525:
521:
517:
513:
509:
505:
501:
497:
493:
489:
485:
480:
478:
474:
470:
466:
461:
459:
455:
451:
447:
443:
438:
436:
432:
428:
424:
414:
412:
408:
404:
400:
399:self-interest
396:
392:
387:
385:
381:
377:
373:
367:
365:
361:
357:
353:
349:
348:
343:
333:
331:
327:
323:
319:
315:
305:
303:
299:
295:
291:
286:
284:
280:
276:
272:
267:
265:
261:
251:
250:
246:
245:San Francisco
242:
238:
234:
230:
225:
223:
219:
215:
214:public choice
211:
207:
206:
201:
197:
193:
189:
185:
181:
180:public policy
177:
176:Anthony Downs
168:
165:
161:
158:
154:
150:
146:
142:
137:
133:
130:
126:
123:
120:
114:
111:
108:
104:
101:
97:
94:
90:
85:
81:
76:
66:
62:
57:
53:
40:
36:
32:Anthony Downs
29:
26:
22:
1576:Ronald Coase
1558:Bryan Caplan
1547:
1515:Roland Fryer
1500:John A. List
1470:Jacob Mincer
1447:Robert Fogel
1424:Scott Sumner
1399:Karl Brunner
1351:Frank Knight
1289:
1284:City Program
1262:. Retrieved
1250:
1241:
1229:. Retrieved
1217:
1179:Westport, CT
1173:
1166:
1155:
1149:New York Sun
1148:
1133:
1121:
1110:
1102:
1087:
1069:
1044:
1040:
1033:
1021:. Retrieved
1012:
1002:
993:
976:
972:
962:
945:
941:
935:
902:
898:
892:
862:(1): 23–34.
859:
853:
847:
818:
810:
797:
792:
780:. Retrieved
776:
767:
755:. Retrieved
751:
742:
730:. Retrieved
726:
717:
705:. Retrieved
693:
656:. Retrieved
644:
596:
588:
572:
559:
553:
551:
544:
481:
476:
469:road pricing
464:
462:
453:
445:
441:
439:
430:
423:rent control
420:
390:
388:
384:Duncan Black
368:
364:conservative
345:
339:
320:. President
311:
287:
268:
257:
226:
221:
209:
203:
192:rent control
175:
174:
69:(2021-10-02)
25:
1683:2021 deaths
1678:1930 births
1642:Eugene Fama
1601:Robert Bork
1475:Gary Becker
1361:Jacob Viner
1297:Appearances
1264:October 27,
1231:October 28,
1039:"Reviews".
1023:October 29,
782:October 29,
707:October 29,
658:November 3,
558:(1957) and
413:positions.
318:White House
208:(1957) and
106:Institution
1672:Categories
1381:Monetarism
757:October 9,
732:October 9,
623:References
566:school of
463:His book,
254:Early life
216:school of
156:Influences
44:1930-11-21
1259:0190-8286
1183:Greenwood
1061:220459957
1013:Brookings
927:147228236
884:153953456
833:cite book
702:0099-9660
653:0362-4331
520:Stockholm
500:Singapore
326:Jack Kemp
283:economics
118:tradition
1344:Founders
1222:Archived
1141:Archived
1095:Archived
1077:Archived
1017:Archived
954:20024482
942:Daedalus
601:See also
528:Valletta
492:freeways
479:(2004).
411:centrist
56:Illinois
52:Evanston
919:1952158
876:1825026
488:medians
342:seminal
340:In his
1301:C-SPAN
1286:has a
1257:
1189:
1059:
952:
925:
917:
882:
874:
700:
651:
534:; and
512:London
344:work,
308:Career
198:, and
77:, U.S.
58:, U.S.
1225:(PDF)
1214:(PDF)
1128:, BBC
1057:S2CID
950:JSTOR
923:S2CID
915:JSTOR
880:S2CID
872:JSTOR
540:Italy
536:Milan
532:Malta
522:(see
514:(see
502:(see
220:. In
92:Field
1266:2021
1255:ISSN
1233:2021
1218:PPIC
1187:ISBN
1025:2021
839:link
784:2021
759:2014
734:2014
709:2021
698:ISSN
660:2021
649:ISSN
506:and
425:and
290:Navy
182:and
64:Died
38:Born
1299:on
1049:doi
981:hdl
946:106
907:doi
864:doi
825:116
577:in
526:);
518:);
510:);
460:.)
389:In
277:at
243:in
231:in
149:PhD
1674::
1253:.
1249:.
1220:.
1216:.
1201:^
1181::
1177:.
1147:,
1101:,
1055:.
1045:71
1043:.
1015:.
1011:.
977:16
975:.
971:.
944:.
921:.
913:.
903:53
901:.
878:.
870:.
860:56
858:.
835:}}
831:{{
801:,
775:.
750:.
725:.
696:.
692:.
668:^
647:.
643:.
631:^
570:.
542:.
538:,
530:,
437:.
429:.
386:.
332:.
304:.
194:,
190:,
147:,
145:MA
136:BA
54:,
1329:e
1322:t
1315:v
1292:.
1268:.
1235:.
1195:.
1063:.
1051::
1027:.
987:.
983::
956:.
929:.
909::
886:.
866::
841:)
827:.
786:.
761:.
736:.
711:.
662:.
151:)
143:(
138:)
134:(
46:)
42:(
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.