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Bureaucracy and Development

Author

Listed:
  • Adnan Khan

    (Department of Economics, London School of Economics, London, United Kingdom)

  • Guo Xu

    (Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA)

  • Robin Burgess

    (Department of Economics, London School of Economics, London, United Kingdom)

  • Timothy Besley

    (Department of Economics, London School of Economics, London, United Kingdom)

Abstract

In recent years, there has been increasing interest in whether and how bureaucratic effectiveness contributes to development. Just what makes for an effective bureaucracy and what are the building blocks of state capacity remain subject to debate. This article reviews the arguments connecting contemporary research using administrative data and field experiments to wider discussions of the origins of state capacity. Most current research has focused on understanding specific features of the environment in which bureaucrats operate. We connect this to discussions of bureaucratic systems, specifically the relationship to politics, citizens, firms, and nongovernmental organizations.

Suggested Citation

  • Adnan Khan & Guo Xu & Robin Burgess & Timothy Besley, 2022. "Bureaucracy and Development," Annual Review of Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 14(1), pages 397-424, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:anr:reveco:v:14:y:2022:p:397-424
    DOI: 10.1146/annurev-economics-080521-011950
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. James Habyarimana & Stuti Khemani & Thiago Scot, 2023. "The importance of political selection for bureaucratic effectiveness," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 90(359), pages 746-779, July.
    2. Baez, Maria Josefina & Brassiolo, Pablo & Estrada, Ricardo & Fajardo, Gustavo, 2022. "Going subnational: Wage differentials across levels of government in Brazil, Mexico, and Uruguay," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    3. Englmaier, Florian & Muehlheusser, Gerd & Roider, Andreas & Wallmeier, Niklas, 2022. "Management and Performance in the Public Sector: Evidence from German Municipalities," IZA Discussion Papers 15676, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    4. Esteban Muñoz-Sobrado & Amedeo Piolatto & Antoine Zerbini & Federica Braccioli, 2024. "The Taxing Challenges of the State: Unveiling the Role of Fiscal & Administrative Capacity in Development," Working Papers 1432, Barcelona School of Economics.
    5. Tukiainen, Janne & Blesse, Sebastian & Bohne, Albrecht & Giuffrida, Leonardo M. & Jääskeläinen, Jan & Luukinen, Ari & Sieppi, Antti, 2021. "What are the priorities of bureaucrats? Evidence from conjoint experiments with procurement officials," ZEW Discussion Papers 21-033, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    6. Chen, Shuai & Ge, Erqi, 2022. "The Anti-Corruption Campaign and the Inter-Generational Transmission of Working in Bureaucracy: Evidence from China," IZA Discussion Papers 15569, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    7. Lottie Field, 2024. "The political economy of industrial development organisations: are they run by politicians or bureaucrats?," Economics Series Working Papers 1055, University of Oxford, Department of Economics.
    8. Chen, Shuai & Ge, Erqi, 2022. "The Anti-Corruption Campaign and the Inter-Generational Transmission of Working in Bureaucracy: Evidence from China," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1159, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    9. Brett, E.A., 2022. "Rebuilding public authority in Uganda dualist theory, hybrid social orders and democratic statehood," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).
    10. Réka Juhász & Nathan J. Lane, 2024. "The Political Economy of Industrial Policy," NBER Working Papers 32507, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    11. Li, Xun & Pan, Wensi & Xu, Gang, 2024. "A “leaner” government? The effect of China's anti-corruption campaign on the body weight and health of public sector employees," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 217(C), pages 141-169.
    12. Field, Lottie, 2024. "The political economy of industrial development organisations: are they run by politicians or bureaucrats?," SocArXiv a4ker, Center for Open Science.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    government; state capacity; bureaucracy; public administration; regulation; service delivery; economic development; political economy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D73 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Bureaucracy; Administrative Processes in Public Organizations; Corruption
    • H83 - Public Economics - - Miscellaneous Issues - - - Public Administration
    • L51 - Industrial Organization - - Regulation and Industrial Policy - - - Economics of Regulation
    • O11 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • O12 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Microeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior

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