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Public goods
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Skill versus voice in local development
Can delegation to technocrats or inclusive decision making improve local development outcomes in Sierra Leone?
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Promoting economic development through electoral design
When electoral rules encourage politicians to secure a broader base of support, politicians provide public goods more broadly
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Long-term effects of the Inca Road
Proximity to the Inca Road improved subsequent educational, development and labour outcomes, in particular for women.
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Public procurement in developing economies
Heavier regulation of procurement is associated with better outcomes in countries with lower quality public sectors, and with worse outcomes in countries with higher quality ones
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Managing ethnic divisions in diverse societies: Evidence from redrawing political boundaries
Redrawing subnational political boundaries potentially reduces interethnic tensions yet also can create new ethnic divisions that exacerbate conflict
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Does patronage still play a role in the public sector?
Evidence from Brazil shows that patronage plays an important role in public sector hiring, adversely affecting the quality of the public workforce
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Informal taxation: A new regime
Informal taxation is common in developing countries. Ben Olken presents facts on this new system based on 10 surveys around the world.