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Density of local cadres and regional economic performance: Evidence from China
Author(s) -
Jiang Wei,
Wang Danli,
Yang Yixin
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
the world economy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.594
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1467-9701
pISSN - 0378-5920
DOI - 10.1111/twec.12792
Subject(s) - china , communism , local economic development , power (physics) , economic power , economics , economic system , economic growth , political science , politics , physics , quantum mechanics , law
In this study, we investigated the effect of the present‐day density of local cadres on economic performance in Chinese prefecture‐level cities. Adjusting for common control variables, our estimates show that local cadre density has a significantly positive effect on regional economic performance. This result holds when we employ the local cadre density in 1949, when the Chinese Communist Party assumed power, to instrument for the current local cadre density. We also tested the channels through which local cadres play a role in regional economic development. Our empirical results show that a high local cadre density has a significant effect on attracting economic resources, which promotes regional economic performance.