Do College Graduates Serving as Village Officials Help Rural China?

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: He, Guojun; Wang, Shaoda
• 署名单位: Hong Kong University of Science & Technology; Hong Kong University of Science & Technology; University of California System; University of California Berkeley
• 刊物名称: AMERICAN ECONOMIC JOURNAL-APPLIED ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 1945-7782
• DOI: 10.1257/app.20160079
• 发表日期: 2017
• 页码: 186-215
• 关键词: income inequality; social assistance; poverty; GROWTH; decentralization; institutions; governance; leaders; ACCOUNTABILITY; INVESTMENT

摘要

This study estimates the effect of improved bureaucrat quality on poverty alleviation by exploring a unique human capital reallocation policy in China-the College Graduate Village Officials (CGVOs) program. We find that introducing CGVOs into the village governance system improves the targeting and implementation of the central government's social assistance programs. CGVOs help eligible poor households understand and apply for relevant subsidies, thus increasing the number of pro-poor program beneficiaries. Further analysis suggests that CGVOs change bureaucrat quality, rather than quantity, of village governance, and their presence reduces elite capture of pro-poor programs.