Winter is Coming: Early-life Experiences and Politicians' Decisions

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Guo, Shiqi; Gao, Nan; Liang, Pinghan
• 署名单位: Sun Yat Sen University; Shanghai Jiao Tong University; Zhongnan University of Economics & Law; Sun Yat Sen University
• 刊物名称: ECONOMIC JOURNAL
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0013-0133
• DOI: 10.1093/ej/uead061
• 发表日期: 2023
• 页码: 295-321
• 关键词: chinese famine; food availability; leaders; HEALTH; ACCOUNTABILITY; circumstance; COMPETITION; matter; GROWTH

摘要

This paper traces the formation of politicians' policy preferences to their early-life experiences. Based on biographical information on 2,806 county party secretaries in China and fiscal data from the 1,713 counties they governed during the 1998-2007 period, we find that a one-percentage-point increase in the early-life famine severity experienced by a county party secretary increases fiscal expenditures on agriculture by 0.8% and on social security subsidies by 1.1%. Agricultural taxes are reduced significantly, boosting grain production in the county party secretaries' work counties. Our findings suggest that county party secretaries who experience early-life famine may develop preferences for food sufficiency and care for people suffering hardships.