IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/ecanpo/v84y2024icp177-193.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Local government fiscal stress and regional entrepreneurship: Evidence from a natural experiment in China

Author

Listed:
  • Xiong, Jiacai
  • Huang, Ling
  • Wang, Xin
  • Bai, Martin
  • Qin, Yafeng

Abstract

Employing the abolition of the agricultural taxes in 2005 in China as a natural experiment, this paper investigates the impact of local government fiscal stress on regional entrepreneurship. We find that the reform results in increased fiscal expenditure and decreased new firm entry. This result suggests that local government fiscal stress is a significant hindrance to regional entrepreneurship, particularly in areas with low fiscal self-sufficiency, limited financial development, and weak legal systems. We also explore the mechanisms through which agricultural tax abolition affects entrepreneurial activities. Our findings indicate that four mechanisms are effective in influencing entrepreneurship, including enhanced tax collection and management, increased local debt, rising land prices, and heightened uncertainty perception by entrepreneurs. Overall, our research provides new insights into the relationship between local fiscal stress and economic development from the perspective of regional entrepreneurship.

Suggested Citation

  • Xiong, Jiacai & Huang, Ling & Wang, Xin & Bai, Martin & Qin, Yafeng, 2024. "Local government fiscal stress and regional entrepreneurship: Evidence from a natural experiment in China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 177-193.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecanpo:v:84:y:2024:i:c:p:177-193
    DOI: 10.1016/j.eap.2024.08.026
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0313592624002157
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.eap.2024.08.026?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Yu, Zhen & Xiao, Yao & Li, Jinpo, 2021. "Firm-level perception of uncertainty and innovation activity: Textual evidence from China's A-share market," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    2. Chen, Zhuo & He, Zhiguo & Liu, Chun, 2020. "The financing of local government in China: Stimulus loan wanes and shadow banking waxes," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 137(1), pages 42-71.
    3. Nathan Nunn & Nancy Qian, 2011. "The Potato's Contribution to Population and Urbanization: Evidence From A Historical Experiment," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 126(2), pages 593-650.
    4. Yi Huang & Marco Pagano & Ugo Panizza, 2020. "Local Crowding‐Out in China," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 75(6), pages 2855-2898, December.
    5. Da Rin, Marco & Di Giacomo, Marina & Sembenelli, Alessandro, 2011. "Entrepreneurship, firm entry, and the taxation of corporate income: Evidence from Europe," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 95(9), pages 1048-1066.
    6. Ute Stephan & Lorraine M Uhlaner & Christopher Stride, 2015. "Institutions and social entrepreneurship: The role of institutional voids, institutional support, and institutional configurations," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 46(3), pages 308-331, April.
    7. Feng, Yuan & Chen, Zhi & Nie, Changfei, 2023. "The effect of broadband infrastructure construction on urban green innovation: Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment in China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 581-598.
    8. La Porta, Rafael & Lopez-de-Silanes, Florencio & Shleifer, Andrei & Vishny, Robert, 1999. "The Quality of Government," The Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization, Oxford University Press, vol. 15(1), pages 222-279, April.
    9. Fei Peng & Langchuan Peng & Jie Mao & Peng Lu, 2021. "The Short-Run Effect of a Local Fiscal Squeeze on Pollution Abatement Expenditures: Evidence from China’s VAT Pilot Program," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 78(3), pages 453-485, March.
    10. Martin C. Schmalz & David A. Sraer & David Thesmar, 2017. "Housing Collateral and Entrepreneurship," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 72(1), pages 99-132, February.
    11. Faggio, Giulia & Silva, Olmo, 2014. "Self-employment and entrepreneurship in urban and rural labour markets," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 67-85.
    12. Thorsten Beck & Ross Levine & Alexey Levkov, 2010. "Big Bad Banks? The Winners and Losers from Bank Deregulation in the United States," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 65(5), pages 1637-1667, October.
    13. Vijaya Sherry Chand, 2009. "Beyond Nongovernmental Development Action into Social Entrepreneurship," Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Emerging Economies, Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, vol. 18(2), pages 139-166, July.
    14. Chenggang Xu, 2011. "The Fundamental Institutions of China's Reforms and Development," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 49(4), pages 1076-1151, December.
    15. La Porta, Rafael & Florencio Lopez-de-Silanes & Andrei Shleifer & Robert W. Vishny, 1997. "Legal Determinants of External Finance," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 52(3), pages 1131-1150, July.
    16. Xuan Tian & Jiajie Xu, 2022. "Do Place-Based Policies Promote Local Innovation and Entrepreneurship? [A model of growth through creative destruction]," Review of Finance, European Finance Association, vol. 26(3), pages 595-635.
    17. Simeon Djankov & Tim Ganser & Caralee McLiesh & Rita Ramalho & Andrei Shleifer, 2010. "The Effect of Corporate Taxes on Investment and Entrepreneurship," American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 2(3), pages 31-64, July.
    18. Yaxuan Qi & Lukas Roth & John K Wald, 2011. "How legal environments affect the use of bond covenants," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 42(2), pages 235-262, February.
    19. Douglas Holtz-Eakin & David Joulfaian & Harvey S. Rosen, 1994. "Entrepreneurial Decisions and Liquidity Constraints," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 25(2), pages 334-347, Summer.
    20. Sandra E. Black & Philip E. Strahan, 2002. "Entrepreneurship and Bank Credit Availability," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 57(6), pages 2807-2833, December.
    21. Xin Deng & Russell Smyth, 2000. "Non‐Tax Levies in China: Sources, Problems and Suggestions for Reform," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 18(4), pages 391-411, December.
    22. Kerr, William R. & Nanda, Ramana, 2009. "Democratizing entry: Banking deregulations, financing constraints, and entrepreneurship," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 94(1), pages 124-149, October.
    23. Jenny Onyx & Rosemary Leonard, 2010. "The Conversion of Social Capital into Community Development: an Intervention in Australia's Outback," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(2), pages 381-397, June.
    24. Cheng, Yudan & Jia, Shanghui & Meng, Huan, 2022. "Fiscal policy choices of local governments in China: Land finance or local government debt?," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 294-308.
    25. Yousha Liang & Kang Shi & Lisheng Wang & Juanyi Xu, 2017. "Local Government Debt and Firm Leverage: Evidence from China," Asian Economic Policy Review, Japan Center for Economic Research, vol. 12(2), pages 210-232, July.
    26. Raj Chetty & Adam Looney & Kory Kroft, 2009. "Salience and Taxation: Theory and Evidence," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 99(4), pages 1145-1177, September.
    27. Nick Bloom & Stephen Bond & John Van Reenen, 2007. "Uncertainty and Investment Dynamics," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 74(2), pages 391-415.
    28. Chen, Ye & Li, Hongbin & Zhou, Li-An, 2005. "Relative performance evaluation and the turnover of provincial leaders in China," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 88(3), pages 421-425, September.
    29. Sabrina T. Howell, 2017. "Financing Innovation: Evidence from R&D Grants," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 107(4), pages 1136-1164, April.
    30. Guilherme Lichand & Rodrigo R. Soares, 2014. "Access to Justice and Entrepreneurship: Evidence from Brazil's Special Civil Tribunals," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 57(2), pages 459-499.
    31. James A. Brander & Qianqian Du & Thomas Hellmann, 2015. "The Effects of Government-Sponsored Venture Capital: International Evidence," Review of Finance, European Finance Association, vol. 19(2), pages 571-618.
    32. Dang, Dandan & Fang, Hongsheng & He, Minyuan, 2019. "Economic policy uncertainty, tax quotas and corporate tax burden: Evidence from China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 1-1.
    33. Guo, Yue Mei & Shi, Yun Rui, 2021. "Impact of the VAT reduction policy on local fiscal pressure in China in light of the COVID-19 pandemic: A measurement based on a computable general equilibrium model," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 253-264.
    34. Guzman, Jorge & Kacperczyk, Aleksandra (Olenka), 2019. "Gender gap in entrepreneurship," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(7), pages 1666-1680.
    35. Altinay, Levent & Sigala, Marianna & Waligo, Victoria, 2016. "Social value creation through tourism enterprise," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 404-417.
    36. Zhu, Ling & Liu, Shasha & Kong, Dongmin, 2023. "Governments' fiscal stress and firm decentralization," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    37. Fan, Jianyong & Liu, Yu & Zhang, Qi & Zhao, Peng, 2022. "Does government debt impede firm innovation? Evidence from the rise of LGFVs in China," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    38. Han, Li & Kung, James Kai-Sing, 2015. "Fiscal incentives and policy choices of local governments: Evidence from China," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 89-104.
    39. R. Glenn Hubbard & William M. Gentry, 2000. "Tax Policy and Entrepreneurial Entry," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 90(2), pages 283-287, May.
    40. Johan Hombert & Antoinette Schoar & David Sraer & David Thesmar, 2020. "Can Unemployment Insurance Spur Entrepreneurial Activity? Evidence from France," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 75(3), pages 1247-1285, June.
    41. Liu, Yu, 2018. "Government extraction and firm size: Local officials’ responses to fiscal distress in China," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 46(4), pages 1310-1331.
    42. He, Chao & Li, Yanxi & Zhu, Jiawei, 2022. "The effect of firm-level perception of uncertainty on innovation: Evidence from China’s listed firms," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 221(C).
    43. Stijn Claessens & Luc Laeven, 2003. "Financial Development, Property Rights, and Growth," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 58(6), pages 2401-2436, December.
    44. Gyourko, Joseph & Shen, Yang & Wu, Jing & Zhang, Rongjie, 2022. "Land finance in China: Analysis and review," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    45. Mina Baliamoune-Lutz & Pierre Garello, 2014. "Tax structure and entrepreneurship," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 42(1), pages 165-190, January.
    46. Dongmin Kong & Ni Qin, 2021. "Does Environmental Regulation Shape Entrepreneurship?," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 80(1), pages 169-196, September.
    47. Zhao, Renjie & Zhang, Jiakai, 2022. "Rent-tax substitution and its impact on firms: Evidence from housing purchase limits policy in China," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 96(C).
    48. Hou, Xiang & Hu, Qianlin & Liang, Xin & Xu, Jingxuan, 2023. "How do low-carbon city pilots affect carbon emissions? Staggered difference in difference evidence from Chinese firms," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 664-686.
    49. Kong, Dongmin & Qin, Ni & Xiang, Junyi, 2021. "Minimum wage and entrepreneurship: Evidence from China," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 189(C), pages 320-336.
    50. Mr. John D Brondolo & Zhiyong Zhang, 2016. "Tax Administration Reform in China: Achievements, Challenges, and Reform Priorities," IMF Working Papers 2016/068, International Monetary Fund.
    51. Lee Branstetter & Francisco Lima & Lowell J. Taylor & Ana Venâncio, 2014. "Do Entry Regulations Deter Entrepreneurship and Job Creation? Evidence from Recent Reforms in Portugal," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 124(577), pages 805-832, June.
    52. Michelle Stecker, 2014. "Revolutionizing the Nonprofit Sector Through Social Entrepreneurship," Journal of Economic Issues, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 48(2), pages 349-358.
    53. Demirguc-Kunt, Asli & Maksimovic, Vojislav, 1999. "Institutions, financial markets, and firm debt maturity," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 54(3), pages 295-336, December.
    54. Gordon, Roger & Sarada,, 2018. "How should taxes be designed to encourage entrepreneurship?," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 166(C), pages 1-11.
    55. Chen, Charles J.P. & Li, Zengquan & Su, Xijia & Sun, Zheng, 2011. "Rent-seeking incentives, corporate political connections, and the control structure of private firms: Chinese evidence," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 17(2), pages 229-243, April.
    56. Tao Chen & Youchao Tan & Jinghua Wang & Cheng (Colin) Zeng, 2022. "The Unintended Consequence of Land Finance: Evidence from Corporate Tax Avoidance," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 68(11), pages 8319-8342, November.
    57. Dongmin Kong & Ni Qin, 2021. "China’s Anticorruption Campaign and Entrepreneurship," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 64(1), pages 153-180.
    58. Zhang, Fan & Wu, Guanghao & Zhu, Ling & Zhang, Wenzhe, 2023. "The impact of fiscal squeeze on corporate tax avoidance behaviors: Evidence from the agricultural tax reform," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 890-901.
    59. Chen, Shawn Xiaoguang, 2017. "The effect of a fiscal squeeze on tax enforcement: Evidence from a natural experiment in China," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 62-76.
    60. Breda McCarthy, 2012. "From fishing and factories to cultural tourism: The role of social entrepreneurs in the construction of a new institutional field," Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(3-4), pages 259-282, April.
    61. Liu, Changqing & Li, Lei, 2021. "Place-based techno-industrial policy and innovation: Government responses to the information revolution in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    62. Maria Minniti, 2008. "The Role of Government Policy on Entrepreneurial Activity: Productive, Unproductive, or Destructive?," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 32(5), pages 779-790, September.
    63. Weingast, Barry R., 2009. "Second generation fiscal federalism: The implications of fiscal incentives," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 65(3), pages 279-293, May.
    64. Ni Qin & Dongmin Kong, 2022. "Access to Credit and Entrepreneurship: Evidence from China," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 71(1), pages 295-331.
    65. Junhong Bai & Jiayu Lu & Sijia Li, 2019. "Fiscal Pressure, Tax Competition and Environmental Pollution," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 73(2), pages 431-447, June.
    66. Paul Tracey & Nelson Phillips & Owen Jarvis, 2011. "Bridging Institutional Entrepreneurship and the Creation of New Organizational Forms: A Multilevel Model," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 22(1), pages 60-80, February.
    67. Huseyin Gulen & Mihai Ion, 2016. "Editor's Choice Policy Uncertainty and Corporate Investment," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 29(3), pages 523-564.
    68. Gao, Haoyu & Ru, Hong & Yang, Xiaoguang, 2022. "The Informational Role of Ownership Networks in Bank Lending," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 57(8), pages 2993-3017, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Guo, Wanran & Zhong, Daojun, 2025. "Population aging and regional innovation levels: Based on the mediating effect of research and development inputs," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    2. Liu, Lu & Zhao, Shumeng, 2025. "Local government debt, financing constraints and firms' green total factor productivity," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    3. Yang, Jinjuan & Lu, Yongyu & Zong, Wen, 2025. "How industry concentration changes affect productive and non-productive entrepreneurship," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Xiong, Jiacai & Huang, Ling & Yang, Zelin & Wang, Xin, 2024. "The impact of local government debt on entrepreneurship: Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment of local debt governance reform," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 93(PA), pages 501-519.
    2. Kong, Dongmin & Qin, Ni & Xiang, Junyi, 2021. "Minimum wage and entrepreneurship: Evidence from China," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 189(C), pages 320-336.
    3. Yang, Zhijiu & Ding, Hai, 2024. "Turning a blind eye: How local government fiscal distress affects the entry of energy-intensive enterprises," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    4. Si, Deng-Kui & Li, Hong-Xue & Wu, Shilei & Zhou, Fuyou, 2024. "Does local government debt management affect cross-border M&As? Evidence from China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    5. Luo, Qi & Hu, Haoyu & Feng, Dawei & He, Xiaogang, 2022. "How does broadband infrastructure promote entrepreneurship in China: Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(10).
    6. Qin, Ni & Kong, Dongmin & Wang, Qin, 2024. "Trade liberalization and entrepreneurship: Evidence from China’s WTO accession," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 147(C).
    7. Liu, Chen & Yang, Wei, 2023. "Does social insurance stimulate business creation? Evidence from China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    8. Miguel García-Posada & Juan Mora-Sanguinetti, 2015. "Entrepreneurship and enforcement institutions: disaggregated evidence for Spain," European Journal of Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 40(1), pages 49-74, August.
    9. Yang, Laifeng & Wang, Qing Sophie & Lai, Shaojie, 2023. "Fair and square: The impact of judicial independence on entrepreneurship," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 55(PB).
    10. Qiongzhi Liu & Jing Ren, 2023. "Local Fiscal Pressure and Enterprise Environmental Protection Investment under COVID-19: Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-20, March.
    11. Cui, Chuantao & Yang, Yinhao & Gan, Huanhui & Dong, Jie, 2024. "Stepping forward with ease: Government debt governance as a catalyst for entrepreneurship," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 69(PB).
    12. Liu, Mengsha & Jiang, Yan & Wei, Xiaokun & Ruan, Qingsong & Lv, Dayong, 2023. "Effect of high-speed rail on entrepreneurial activities: Evidence from China," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 87(PA).
    13. Xiong, Jiacai & Yang, Zelin & Wang, Xin & Chan, Kam C., 2023. "Does dialect diversity affect entrepreneurial activities? Evidence from China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    14. Popov, Alexander, 2017. "Evidence on finance and economic growth," Working Paper Series 2115, European Central Bank.
    15. Joshua D Gottlieb & Richard R Townsend & Ting Xu, 2022. "Does Career Risk Deter Potential Entrepreneurs?," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 35(9), pages 3973-4015.
    16. Wen, Qiang & Zhang, Teng, 2022. "Economic policy uncertainty and industrial pollution: The role of environmental supervision by local governments," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    17. Jiang, Wei & Li, Xitao & Liu, Ruoxi & Song, Yijia, 2022. "Local fiscal pressure, policy distortion and energy efficiency: Micro-evidence from a quasi-natural experiment in China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 254(PB).
    18. Pourya Darnihamedani & Joern Hendrich Block & Jolanda Hessels & Aram Simonyan, 2018. "Taxes, start-up costs, and innovative entrepreneurship," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 51(2), pages 355-369, August.
    19. Hu, Shengming & Zhang, Yunyun & Hu, Yao & Wang, Hui, 2024. "Born by water: Does water resource reallocation promote entrepreneurship?," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    20. Dongmin Kong & Ni Qin, 2021. "Does Environmental Regulation Shape Entrepreneurship?," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 80(1), pages 169-196, September.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Fiscal stress; Entrepreneurship; Abolition of agricultural taxes; Natural experiment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H32 - Public Economics - - Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents - - - Firm
    • L26 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Entrepreneurship

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:ecanpo:v:84:y:2024:i:c:p:177-193. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/economic-analysis-and-policy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.