Centres Of Excellence

To focus on new and emerging areas of research and education, Centres of Excellence have been established within the Institute. These ‘virtual' centres draw on resources from its stakeholders, and interact with them to enhance core competencies

Read More >>

Faculty

Faculty members at IIMB generate knowledge through cutting-edge research in all functional areas of management that would benefit public and private sector companies, and government and society in general.

Read More >>

IIMB Management Review

Journal of Indian Institute of Management Bangalore

IIM Bangalore offers Degree-Granting Programmes, a Diploma Programme, Certificate Programmes and Executive Education Programmes and specialised courses in areas such as entrepreneurship and public policy.

Read More >>

About IIMB

The Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB) believes in building leaders through holistic, transformative and innovative education

Read More >>

Political Activism as a Determinant of Strategic Transfers: Evidence from an Indian Public Works Program

Vidhya Soundararajan, Nancy Chau and Yanyan Liu
Journal Name
European Economic Review
Journal Publication
others
Publication Year
2021
Journal Publications Functional Area
Economics
Publication Date
Vol. 132, February 2021, 103631, Pg. 1-37
Abstract

Are political activists preferentially targeted by politicians who engage in strategic transfers to bolster political support? This paper incorporates two distinctive rationales in a model of politically motivated strategic transfers: to mobilize support from the activists themselves, and to mobilize support from electors these activists have influence over. Using novel household data on ex ante political affiliation and jobs received subsequent to a large-scale decentralized workfare program in India, we find that activists are indeed preferentially targeted. Compared to inactive households, active households obtained 29% more days of work and 84% more payment from this program. We provide evidence supporting the use of transfers to leverage the influence of activists over the decision-making of other electors. Further, we find that non-affiliates received 21% more days and 56% more payment than loyalists, pointing to an expansionist strategy.

Political Activism as a Determinant of Strategic Transfers: Evidence from an Indian Public Works Program

Author(s) Name: Vidhya Soundararajan, Nancy Chau and Yanyan Liu
Journal Name: European Economic Review
Volume: Vol. 132, February 2021, 103631, Pg. 1-37
Year of Publication: 2021
Abstract:

Are political activists preferentially targeted by politicians who engage in strategic transfers to bolster political support? This paper incorporates two distinctive rationales in a model of politically motivated strategic transfers: to mobilize support from the activists themselves, and to mobilize support from electors these activists have influence over. Using novel household data on ex ante political affiliation and jobs received subsequent to a large-scale decentralized workfare program in India, we find that activists are indeed preferentially targeted. Compared to inactive households, active households obtained 29% more days of work and 84% more payment from this program. We provide evidence supporting the use of transfers to leverage the influence of activists over the decision-making of other electors. Further, we find that non-affiliates received 21% more days and 56% more payment than loyalists, pointing to an expansionist strategy.