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Who Benefits? How Local Ethnic Demography Shapes Political Favoritism in Africa

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  • Beiser-McGrath, Janina
  • Müller-Crepon, Carl
  • Pengl, Yannick I.

Abstract

Empirical studies show that many governments gear the provision of goods and services towards their ethnic peers. This article investigates governments’ strategies to provide ethnic favors in Africa. Recent studies of ethnic favoritism find that presidents' ethnic peers and home regions enjoy advantages, yet cannot disentangle whether goods are provided to entire regions or co-ethnic individuals. This article argues that local ethnic demography determines whether governments provide non-excludable public goods or more narrowly targeted handouts. Where government co-ethnics are in the majority, public goods benefit all locals regardless of their ethnic identity. Outside of these strongholds, incumbents pursue discriminatory strategies and only their co-ethnics gain from favoritism. Using fine-grained geographic data on ethnic demographics, the study finds support for the argument's implications in the local incidence of infant mortality. These findings have important implications for theories of distributive politics and conflict in multi-ethnic societies.

Suggested Citation

  • Beiser-McGrath, Janina & Müller-Crepon, Carl & Pengl, Yannick I., 2021. "Who Benefits? How Local Ethnic Demography Shapes Political Favoritism in Africa," British Journal of Political Science, Cambridge University Press, vol. 51(4), pages 1582-1600, October.
  • Handle: RePEc:cup:bjposi:v:51:y:2021:i:4:p:1582-1600_13
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    Cited by:

    1. Siri Aas Rustad & Kristian Hoelscher & Andreas Kotsadam & Gudrun Østby & Henrik Urdal, 2024. "Does development aid reach politically excluded groups? A Disaggregated Study of the Location of Aid in Sub‐Saharan Africa," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 42(3), May.
    2. Erickosowo Tiku & Kevin Sylwester, 2024. "The importance of ethnicity in perceived school and clinic quality in Africa," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 44(2), pages 672-689.
    3. Mpia Héritier Nsenge & Mburu Lucy Waruguru & Mwendia Simon Nyaga, 2023. "Exploratory Factor Analysis of Congolese Information Technology Graduates’ Employability: Towards Sustainable Employment," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(4), pages 21582440231, December.
    4. Asatryan, Zareh & Baskaran, Thushyanthan & Birkholz, Carlo & Gomtsyan, David, 2021. "Favoritism and firms: Micro evidence and macro implications," ZEW Discussion Papers 21-031, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.

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