The Short- and Long-Run Effects of Affirmative Action: Evidence from Imperial China

Melanie Meng Xue and Boxiao Zhang

No 20187, CEPR Discussion Papers from Centre for Economic Policy Research

Abstract: We study the short- and long-term effects of affirmative action policies in the context of China. During imperial China, official positions were awarded to the most academically talented individuals through a multi-stage examination process administered by the central government. In 1712, a reform was implemented to address disparities in exam performance, aiming to equalize acceptance rates across provinces and increase representation from underrepresented regions. Using a unique dataset, we analyze career outcomes and find that more candidates from underrepresented provinces secured positions without compromising their performance after the reform. However, sub-provincial units showed different trends. Although the reform ended in 1905, the gap between underrepresented provinces and others widened again, but some effects of the reform remained. Moreover, the intervention had spillover effects, extending its impact to secondary education.

Keywords: Education; Inequality; China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: H75 I28 J71 N40 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025-05
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