This paper studies the long-run effects of non-strategic administrative failures on voter participation. I exploit a natural experiment from Berlin’s 2021 elections, in which hundreds of precincts experienced ballot shortages, multi-hour queues, and unlawful polling closures. Using...

What is the effect of state capacity on economic development? Strong states are capable of mobilising the resources required to establish an efficient administration and provide public goods, which are preconditions for economic development. I consider the long-lasting division of Yugoslavia...

Zheng Yongnian's article "Discovering the Power of State: Chinese Thinking on State Power and Economic Management" offers an analysis of the role of the Chinese state in economic development. The article argues that the Chinese state has been a key factor in China's economic success, using a...

What is the effect of state capacity on economic development? I argue that strong and centralised states are capable of mobilising the resources required to establish an efficient administration and provide public goods, which are preconditions for modern economic growth. To test this...

How does repression shape state capacity? While the literature on the effectiveness of repression in quelling opposition and insurgency has been mixed, the reverse impact of actually employing repression on the coercive organs has been understudied. This paper shows that repressions by police...