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Political Predation And Economic Development

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  • JEAN PAUL AZAM
  • ROBERT BATES
  • BRUNO BIAIS

Abstract

We analyze a game between citizens and governments, whose type (benevolent or predatory) is unknown to the public. Opportunistic governments mix between predation and restraint. As long as restraint is observed, political expectations improve, people enter the modern sector, and the economy grows. Once there is predation, the reputation of the government is ruined and the economy collapses. If citizens are unable to overthrow this government, the collapse is durable. Otherwise, a new government is drawn and the economy can rebound. Consistent with stylized facts, equilibrium political and economic histories are random, unstable, and exhibit long‐term divergence.

Suggested Citation

  • Jean Paul Azam & Robert Bates & Bruno Biais, 2009. "Political Predation And Economic Development," Economics and Politics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(2), pages 255-277, July.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:ecopol:v:21:y:2009:i:2:p:255-277
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-0343.2009.00345.x
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    3. Athaulla A Rasheed, 2020. "Framing Metagovernance in the Context of Developing Democracies: An Institutionalist Viewpoint," Journal of Public Administration and Governance, Macrothink Institute, vol. 10(3), pages 91111-91111, December.
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    6. Dorsch, Michael T. & Dunz, Karl & Maarek, Paul, 2016. "Development and inefficient regulation under the threat of revolution," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 44(4), pages 1040-1054.
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    8. Sonin, Konstantin & Goriaev, Alexei P., 2005. "Is Political Risk Company-Specific? The Market Side of the Yukos Affair," CEPR Discussion Papers 5076, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    9. Besley, Tim & Kudamatsu, Masayuki, 2007. "Making Autocracy Work," CEPR Discussion Papers 6371, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    10. Peter J. Boettke & Rosolino A. Candela, 2020. "Productive specialization, peaceful cooperation and the problem of the predatory state: lessons from comparative historical political economy," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 182(3), pages 331-352, March.
    11. Dorsch, Michael T. & Maarek, Paul, 2015. "Inefficient predation and political transitions," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 37-48.
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D82 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design
    • H11 - Public Economics - - Structure and Scope of Government - - - Structure and Scope of Government
    • O0 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - General
    • O17 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Formal and Informal Sectors; Shadow Economy; Institutional Arrangements

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