Mind the Electoral Gap: the Effect of Investment in Public Infrastructure on Authoritarian Support in South Korea

This study examines the effect of investment in transportation infrastructure on regime support in an electoral authoritarian regime. Using a difference-in-difference analysis of neighborhood-level panel data on a subway system from 1971–1985 in urban South Korea, we find that incumbent vote share i...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Studies in comparative international development 2019-12, Vol.54 (4), p.473-500
Main Authors: Cho, Joan E., Lee, Jae Seung, Song, B. K.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis
Authoritarianism
Autocracy
Developing countries
Elections
Infrastructure
Infrastructure (Economics)
Investment
Investments
LDCs
Local transit
Neighborhoods
Panel data
Political parties
Political power
Propaganda
Public transportation
Public works
Social Sciences
Subway construction
Subway stations
Transportation authorities
Transportation engineering
Transportation policy
Voting
Welfare
Welfare services
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Summary:This study examines the effect of investment in transportation infrastructure on regime support in an electoral authoritarian regime. Using a difference-in-difference analysis of neighborhood-level panel data on a subway system from 1971–1985 in urban South Korea, we find that incumbent vote share increased in neighborhoods surrounding the newly constructed subway stations. We show that subway construction was effective at boosting regime support, especially in neighborhoods where people are more likely to read about the government propaganda of subway construction from newspapers. We also provide anecdotal evidence of private economic gains contributing to the increased support for the ruling party. The results suggest that investment in welfare-enhancing goods and services such as public transportation may help autocrats of developing countries to retain political power by increasing electoral support for their ruling parties.
ISSN:0039-3606
1936-6167
DOI:10.1007/s12116-019-09289-y