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Preprint . 2026
License: CC BY
Data sources: Datacite
ZENODO
Preprint . 2026
License: CC BY
Data sources: Datacite
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A Recurring Capture Pattern in Democratic Governance: Structural Convergence Toward Short-Term Rational Policy Behavior

Authors: Shimamoto, Hiromi;

A Recurring Capture Pattern in Democratic Governance: Structural Convergence Toward Short-Term Rational Policy Behavior

Abstract

AbstractThis paper documents a Recurring Capture Pattern (RCP) observed inrepresentative democratic governance and policy evaluation systems.Under the institutional condition ofa temporal structure in which policy evaluation cycles are shorter than the timerequired for policy impacts to emerge,individually rational behavior systematically converges not towardlong-term institutional adaptation and sustainable public policy improvement,but towardshort-term evaluation optimization behavior.As these behaviors accumulate, they alter the operational conditions of the system itself,resulting inthe increasing dependence of policy evaluation and political decision-making onshort-term measurable indicators,and reinforcing the same behavioral convergence through a recursive institutional feedbackloop.The pattern ultimately producesa structural decline in the institutional capacity for long-term policy adaptation,indicating a structural misalignment between institutional objectives and rational behavioraladaptation.This paper analytically describes the structural relationship between institutional design andrational behavioral adaptation.The document does not propose policy implementation, funding structures, normative policyevaluation, or institutional deployment strategies, but instead presents design principles andoperational modules as analytical references for institutional design.

Keywords

Election Cycles, Democratic Governance, Policy Evaluation, Political Accountability, Temporal Asynchrony, Institutional Feedback, Institutional Design, Recurring Capture Pattern, Policy Feedback, Behavioral Convergence

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selected citations
These citations are derived from selected sources.
This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Citations provided by BIP!
popularity
This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Popularity provided by BIP!
influence
This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Influence provided by BIP!
impulse
This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Impulse provided by BIP!
0
Average
Average
Average
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