IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/jadint/v19y2015i2p85-105.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Regime Stability in Anocracies: The Role of Special Economic Zones

Author

Listed:
  • Clay Robert Fuller

Abstract

In the two decades since Fukuyama’s famous claim of an ‘end of history,’ the number of democratic regimes increased and the number of autocratic regimes decreased, but the number of anocracies – mixed or institutionally inconsistent regimes – remains the same or slightly higher. This article presents a theory of institutionally inconsistent regime stability. Stability in all regimes is due to reinforcing and consistent institutional structures that create self-enforcing equilibria, which in turn induces elites to work together towards regime stability. The use of special economic zones (SEZs) in institutionally inconsistent anocracies allow the existing elite to prescreen and preselect new members in the winning coalition, thus creating a more consistent institutional environment in which elites are more likely to work together. Elites are chosen based upon 1) potential economic contribution and 2) potential to challenge the existing political order. This study empirically examines the role of special economic zones (SEZs) – geographically restricted investment areas with special benefits. SEZs allow for preselection and screening through the offer of special benefits and the negotiation of contracts. I use an original set of SEZ panel data covering 160 countries from 1995–2010 to examine regime stability. I first use a fixed effects model to confirm that autocracies and democracies are more stable than anocracies. I then use a Heckman selection model to examine the interaction between SEZs and regime types. I find evidence that the use of SEZs in anocracies significantly increases regime stability and marginally decreases it in autocracies.

Suggested Citation

  • Clay Robert Fuller, 2015. "Regime Stability in Anocracies: The Role of Special Economic Zones," Jadavpur Journal of International Relations, , vol. 19(2), pages 85-105, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:jadint:v:19:y:2015:i:2:p:85-105
    DOI: 10.1177/0973598415627889
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0973598415627889
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/0973598415627889?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. James J. Heckman, 1976. "The Common Structure of Statistical Models of Truncation, Sample Selection and Limited Dependent Variables and a Simple Estimator for Such Models," NBER Chapters, in: Annals of Economic and Social Measurement, Volume 5, number 4, pages 475-492, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. repec:ilo:ilowps:398959 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Scott Gates & Håvard Hegre & Mark P. Jones & Håvard Strand, 2006. "Institutional Inconsistency and Political Instability: Polity Duration, 1800–2000," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 50(4), pages 893-908, October.
    4. Acemoglu,Daron & Robinson,James A., 2009. "Economic Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521671422, October.
    5. Singa Boyenge, Jean-Pierre., 2007. "ILO database on export processing zones (Revised)," ILO Working Papers 993989593402676, International Labour Organization.
    6. Ge, Wei, 1999. "Special Economic Zones and the Opening of the Chinese Economy: Some Lessons for Economic Liberalization," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 27(7), pages 1267-1285, July.
    7. Przeworski,Adam & Alvarez,Michael E. & Cheibub,Jose Antonio & Limongi,Fernando, 2000. "Democracy and Development," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521793797, October.
    8. Przeworski,Adam & Alvarez,Michael E. & Cheibub,Jose Antonio & Limongi,Fernando, 2000. "Democracy and Development," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521790321, October.
    9. Hegre, Håvard, 2001. "Toward a Democratic Civil Peace? Democracy, Political Change, and Civil War, 1816–1992," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 95(1), pages 33-48, March.
    10. James J. Heckman, 1976. "Introduction to "Annals of Economic and Social Measurement, Volume 5, number 4"," NBER Chapters, in: Annals of Economic and Social Measurement, Volume 5, number 4, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    11. Thomas Farole & Gokhan Akinci, 2011. "Special Economic Zones : Progress, Emerging Challenges, and Future Directions," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 2341.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Dejene Mamo Bekana, 2021. "Innovation and Economic Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa: Why Institutions Matter? An Empirical Study Aross 37 Countries," Arthaniti: Journal of Economic Theory and Practice, , vol. 20(2), pages 161-200, December.
    2. Fuller Clay Robert, 2017. "Cooperative Authoritarians and Regime Stability," New Global Studies, De Gruyter, vol. 11(1), pages 1-28, April.
    3. Snigdha Dewal & Jack A. Goldstone & Michael Volpe, 2013. "Forecasting Stability or Retreat in Emerging Democratic Regimes," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 1(1), pages 32-47.
    4. Bautista, M. A. & González, F. & Martínez, L. R. & Muñoz, P. & Prem, M., 2020. "Chile’s Missing Students: Dictatorship, Higher Education and Social Mobility," Documentos de Trabajo 18163, Universidad del Rosario.
    5. Antoine Marsaudon & Josselin Thuilliez, 2016. "Does democracy reduce the HIV epidemic? Evidence from Kenya," Université Paris1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (Post-Print and Working Papers) halshs-01400833, HAL.
    6. Dalibor Eterovic & Nicolas Eterovic, 2010. "Political Competition vs. PoliticalParticipation: Effects on Government's Size," Working Papers wp_006, Adolfo Ibáñez University, School of Government.
    7. Daron Acemoglu & Suresh Naidu & Pascual Restrepo & James A. Robinson, 2019. "Democracy Does Cause Growth," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 127(1), pages 47-100.
    8. Gehlbach, Scott & Keefer, Philip, 2011. "Investment without democracy: Ruling-party institutionalization and credible commitment in autocracies," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 39(2), pages 123-139, June.
    9. James A. Piazza, 2013. "The Cost of Living and Terror: Does Consumer Price Volatility Fuel Terrorism?," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 79(4), pages 812-831, April.
    10. Profeta, Paola & Puglisi, Riccardo & Scabrosetti, Simona, 2013. "Does democracy affect taxation and government spending? Evidence from developing countries," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 41(3), pages 684-718.
    11. Sunde, Uwe & Fortunato, Piergiuseppe & Cervellati, Matteo, 2011. "Democratization and Civil Liberties: The Role of Violence During the Transition," CEPR Discussion Papers 8315, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    12. Markus Brückner & Antonio Ciccone, 2011. "Rain and the Democratic Window of Opportunity," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 79(3), pages 923-947, May.
    13. Caroline Freund & Melise Jaud, 2014. "On The Determinants Of Democratic Transitions," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Ishac Diwan (ed.), UNDERSTANDING THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF THE ARAB UPRISINGS, chapter 5, pages 81-110, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    14. Nedra Baklouti & Younes Boujelbene, 2018. "The Nexus Between Democracy and Economic Growth: Evidence from Dynamic Simultaneous-Equations Models," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 9(3), pages 980-998, September.
    15. Antonio Ciccone, 2013. "Estimating the Effect of Transitory Economic Shocks on Civil Conflict," Review of Economics and Institutions, Università di Perugia, vol. 4(2).
    16. Richard Bluhm & Adam Szirmai, 2011. "Institutions, Inequality and Growth: A review of theory and evidence on the institutional determinants of growth and inequality," Papers inwopa634, Innocenti Working Papers.
    17. Philip Nel, 2006. "When Can the Rabble Redistribute? Democratization and Income Distribution in Low- and Middle-income Countries," Working Papers 43, ECINEQ, Society for the Study of Economic Inequality.
    18. Wegenast, Tim, 2010. "Inclusive Institutions and the Onset of Internal Conflict in Resource-rich Countries," GIGA Working Papers 126, GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies.
    19. Alberto Batinti & Joan Costa‐Font & Timothy J. Hatton, 2022. "Voting Up? The Effects of Democracy and Franchise Extension on Human Stature," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 89(353), pages 161-190, January.
    20. Ivar Kolstad & Arne Wiig, 2014. "Diversification and democracy," CMI Working Papers 9, CMI (Chr. Michelsen Institute), Bergen, Norway.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:jadint:v:19:y:2015:i:2:p:85-105. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.