THE STABILITY OF INTERNATIONAL COALITIONS IN UNITED-NATIONS VOTING FROM 1946 TO 1973

The stability of outcomes under democratic decision-making is a signif icant issue in public choice. Several factors might make U.N. voting b locs less stable than blocs in national legislatures. Nevertheless, th e data suggest that from 1946 to 1973 United Nations voting blocs were relatively stable. Nations that leave their blocs tend to vote with n earby blocs rather than making large ideological shifts, and tend to r eturn to their old blocs. There does not appear to be cycles in United Nations voting blocs. Furthermore, the blocs can be ranked on a stabl e single-dimensioned continuum, lending further evidence that United N ations voting blocs are stable.