Scholars in economics and political science argue that one major function of government is to overcome coordination failure in economic development, especially during times of rapid environmental changes. But, how and through what means does the state coordinate firms to follow the changing...

How does political patronage influence investment in critical infrastructure and economic growth in the long term? With a difference-in-differences design applied to the setting of China, I show that cities whose leaders established patron-client connections with their provincial superiors...