Political Connections and Land-Related Investment in Rural Vietnam

TY - JOUR

T1 - Political Connections and Land-Related Investment in Rural Vietnam

AU - Markussen, Thomas

AU - Tarp, Finn

PY - 2014/9

Y1 - 2014/9

N2 - This paper uses household panel data from rural Vietnam to explore the effects of having a relative in a position of political or bureaucratic power. Our results suggest that households increase their investment in land improvements due to such ties. Likely explanations are that connections to office holders strengthen de facto land property rights and access to both credit and transfers. Results also indicate that officials prefer to use informal rather than formal channels of redistribution to relatives.

AB - This paper uses household panel data from rural Vietnam to explore the effects of having a relative in a position of political or bureaucratic power. Our results suggest that households increase their investment in land improvements due to such ties. Likely explanations are that connections to office holders strengthen de facto land property rights and access to both credit and transfers. Results also indicate that officials prefer to use informal rather than formal channels of redistribution to relatives.

U2 - 10.1016/j.jdeveco.2014.01.011

DO - 10.1016/j.jdeveco.2014.01.011

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0304-3878

VL - 110

SP - 291

EP - 302

JO - Journal of Development Economics

JF - Journal of Development Economics

ER -