Political Selection and the Quality ofGovernment: Evidence from South India

Timothy Besley, Rohini Pande and Vijayendra Rao

STICERD - Development Economics Papers - From 2008 this series has been superseded by Economic Organisation and Public Policy Discussion Papers from Suntory and Toyota International Centres for Economics and Related Disciplines, LSE

Abstract: This paper uses household data from India to examine the economic and socialstatus of village politicians, and how individual and village characteristics a®ectpolitician behavior while in o±ce. Education increases the chances of selectionto public o±ce and reduces the odds that a politician uses political poweropportunistically. In contrast, land ownership and political connections enableselection but do not a®ect politician opportunism. At the village level, changesin the identity of the politically dominant group alters the group allocation ofresources but not politician opportunism. Improved information °ows in thevillage, however, reduce opportunism and improve resource allocation.

Date: 2005-08
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cwa, nep-dev and nep-edu
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Related works:
Working Paper: Political Selection and the Quality of Government: Evidence from South India (2005)
Working Paper: Political Selection and the Quality of Government: Evidence from South India (2005)
Working Paper: Political Selection and the Quality of Government: Evidence from South India (2005)
Working Paper: Political Selection and the Qualilty of Government: Evidence from South India (2005)
Working Paper: Political selection and the quality of government: evidence from south India (2005)
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