The Value of Democracy: Evidence from Road Building in Kenya

Robin Burgess, Remi Jedwab, Edward Miguel, Ameet Morjaria and Gerard Padro i Miquel

STICERD - Economic Organisation and Public Policy Discussion Papers Series from Suntory and Toyota International Centres for Economics and Related Disciplines, LSE

Abstract: Ethnic favoritism is seen as antithetical to development. This paper provides credible quantifi…cation of the extent of ethnic favoritism using data on road building in Kenyan districts across the 1963-2011 period. Guided by a model it then examines whether the transition in and out of democracy under the same president constrains or exacerbates ethnic favoritism. Across the 1963 to 2011 period, we fi…nd strong evidence of ethnic favoritism: districts that share the ethnicity of the president receive twice as much expenditure on roads and have four times the length of paved roads built. This favoritism disappears during periods of democracy.

Date: 2013-08
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Related works:
Journal Article: The Value of Democracy: Evidence from Road Building in Kenya (2015)
Working Paper: The Value of Democracy: Evidence from Road Building in Kenya (2015)
Working Paper: The value of democracy: evidence from road building in Kenya (2015)
Working Paper: The Value of Democracy: Evidence from Road Building in Kenya (2013)
Working Paper: The Value of Democracy: Evidence from Road Building in Kenya (2013)
Working Paper: The Value of Democracy: Evidence from Road Building in Kenya (2013)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:cep:stieop:045

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