Development lessons from China: a political-economic perspective on how neopatrimonial states may achieve high economic growth

Abstract

Neopatrimonial politics is often deemed incompatible with high economic growth, as officials usurp public resources for personal gain. China, however, has managed o achieve high growth despite the presence of neopatrimonial practices. This article examines the Chinese bureaucracy as a new generation of leaders takes the helm, uncovering the sources of its neopatrimonial characteristics during the transition from a socialist regime to a market-based economy, and attributing its economic success to the specific nature of its rent extractions. China’s development offers lessons for other countries with neopatrimonial politics that seek alternative agendas to growth.