Theorem Strategy-Proof ⇒ Monotonic
theorem staged

Strategy-Proof ⇒ Monotonic

Theorem. Every strategy-proof social choice function on a finite voter type is monotonic.

That is, ([[social_choice.voting.strategyproof]]) implies ([[social_choice.voting.monotonic_scf]]).

In Lean this is SocialChoice.Voting.strategyproof_monotonic. The statement is present in EconCSLib.SocialChoice.Voting.GibbardSatterthwaite; the proof is currently a sorry, with the standard finite-replacement argument outlined below.

Proof

plan

We argue the contrapositive: if monotonicity fails between profiles $P$ and $Q$ at a winner $a = G(P)$, then strategy-proofness fails too.

  1. Setup. Fix profiles $P, Q$ and $a$ with $G(P) = a$ and the monotonicity hypothesis ($\forall i,\ \forall c \ne a,\ a \succ_{P_i} c \Rightarrow a \succ_{Q_i} c$), but $G(Q) \ne a$.

  2. Finite path. Enumerate $N = \{i_1, \dots, i_n\}$ and form the chain of profiles $R_0 = P$, $R_k$ obtained from $R_{k-1}$ by replacing voter $i_k$'s report from $P_{i_k}$ to $Q_{i_k}$. Then $R_n = Q$. The outcome $G(R_k)$ varies along this chain, starting at $a$ and ending at $G(Q) \ne a$.

  3. First defection. Let $k$ be the smallest index where the outcome first changes off $a$: $G(R_{k-1}) = a$ and $G(R_k) \ne a$. Write $a' = G(R_k)$.

  4. Profitable manipulation. Inspect the two consecutive profiles. By the monotonicity hypothesis, voter $i_k$'s true ranking $P_{i_k}$ has $a$ strictly above $a'$ (otherwise the hypothesis would fail). At the profile $R_{k-1}$ truthful $i_k$ obtains $a$; at $R_k$ — obtained from $R_{k-1}$ by $i_k$ reporting $Q_{i_k}$ instead of $P_{i_k}$ — they obtain $a' \prec_{P_{i_k}} a$, contradicting strategy-proofness ([[social_choice.voting.strategyproof]]) applied to the deviation $Q_{i_k}$.

The argument needs Fintype N (to enumerate the chain) and DecidableEq N (to substitute one voter's report).

References

  • [MSZ 21.35] Maschler, Solan, and Zamir, Game Theory. Strategy-proofness implies monotonicity.

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