The Value of Democracy: Evidence from Road Building in Kenya

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Burgess, Robin; Jedwab, Remi; Miguel, Edward; Morjaria, Ameet; Padro i Miquel, Gerard
• 署名单位: University of London; London School Economics & Political Science; George Washington University; University of California System; University of California Berkeley; Northwestern University
• 刊物名称: AMERICAN ECONOMIC REVIEW
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0002-8282
• DOI: 10.1257/aer.20131031
• 发表日期: 2015
• 页码: 1817-1851
• 关键词: Ethnic diversity; POLITICS; state

摘要

Ethnic favoritism is seen as antithetical to development. This paper provides credible quantification of the extent of ethnic favoritism using data on road building in Kenyan districts across the 1963-2011 period. Guided by a model, it then examines whether the transition in and out of democracy under the same president constrains or exacerbates ethnic favoritism. Across the post-independence period, we find strong evidence of ethnic favoritism: districts that share the ethnicity of the president receive twice as much expenditure on roads and have five times the length of paved roads built. This favoritism disappears during periods of democracy. (JEL D72, H54, J15, O15, O17, O22, R42)