Do Elections Slow Down Economic Globalization Process In India? It's Politics Stupid!

The author investigates whether timing of the elections impact economic globalization process or not in India. In other words, do elections slowdown economic globalization process? The theoretical underpinning is that, policies of economic globalization lead to economic and social hardships in short run but benefit the economy in the long run. The motto behind slowing down the economic globalization process before elections is that it leads to polarization of voters and thus negatively affects the incumbent government. The author makes use of Axel Dreher's economic globalization index and constructs 'Instrumental electoral cycle' to capture the scheduled and midterm election cycle.