Distributive politics in China: Regional favouritism and expansion of construction land

Shenghua Lu and Hui Wang
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Shenghua Lu: Zhejiang University, China
Hui Wang: Zhejiang University, China

Urban Studies, 2020, vol. 57, issue 8, 1600-1619

Abstract: Land conversion control in China remains in the shadow of the planned economy. Highly hierarchical governments fully control both land quotas and land approval, which are indispensable for each added area of construction land. But the actual mechanisms of land resource distribution, because they are masked by the ambiguity of institutional provisions, are opaque. This article discusses the theoretical influence of regional favouritism to birthplace on the expansion of construction land. Using a provincial-level dataset and detailed information about political cadres in the Ministry of Land and Resources, we estimate an econometric model that reflects the relationship between regional favouritism and construction land expansion. The results indicate that, all else equal, the birthplaces of political cadres receive a larger scale of construction land expansion than other locations. We further explore the paths of regional favouritism influencing construction land expansion. The results show that land approval and tolerance of illegal land due to regional favouritism together contribute to the expansion of construction land.

Keywords: construction land expansion; illegal land; land approval; land quota; regional favouritism; 建设用地扩å¼; è¿ æ³•ç”¨åœ°; 土地审批; åœŸåœ°é… é¢; 区域å 袒 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:urbstu:v:57:y:2020:i:8:p:1600-1619

DOI: 10.1177/0042098019835677

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