Escaping Political Extraction: Political Participation, Institutions, and Cash Holdings in China

Xunan Feng and Anders Johansson

No 2011-18, Working Paper Series from Stockholm School of Economics, China Economic Research Center

Abstract: We study the effects of political participation on holdings of liquid assets in a transition economy. Previous research has shown that the risk of political extraction by politicians and bureaucrats in countries with weak institutions has an adverse effect on holdings of liquid assets. We propose that political participation by private entrepreneurs can function as a means to alleviate some of that risk. Our empirical results indicate that political participation is positively related to cash holdings in China, especially in regions with weak institutions proxied by lower GDP per capita, lower marketization levels, and weaker property protection. Cash holdings have a negative effect on firm value as measured by the market-to-book ratio. However, political participation, the combined effect of cash holdings and political participation, as well as the combined effect of cash holdings, political participation, and institutions are all positively associated with firm value. Political participation thus results in an improved ability for firms that function in an environment fraught with the risk of political extraction to increase their holdings of liquid assets as well as a related positive effect on firm value.

Keywords: Political participation; Private entrepreneurs; Cash holdings; Political extraction; China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: G31 G32 G34 P48 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 41 pages
Date: 2011-03-15
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-pol and nep-tra
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Journal Article: Escaping political extraction: Political participation, institutions, and cash holdings in China (2014)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hhs:hacerc:2011-018

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