Why did the west extend the franchise? Democracy, inequality, and growth in historical perspective

During the nineteenth century most Western societies extended voting rights , a decision that led to unprecedented redistributive programs. We argue th at these political reforms can be viewed as strategic decisions by the poli tical elite to prevent widespread social unrest and revolution. Political t ransition, rather than redistribution under existing political institutions , occurs because current transfers do not ensure future transfers, while th e extension of the franchise changes future political equilibria and acts a s a commitment to redistribution. Our theory also offers a novel explanatio n for the Kuznets curve in many Western economies during this period, with the fall in inequality following redistribution due to democratization.