Constituency Service under Nondemocratic Rule: Evidence from China

Constituency Service under Nondemocratic Rule: Evidence from China

Why do nondemocratic regimes provide constituency service? This study develops theory based on a national field audit of China’s “Mayor’s Mailbox,” an institution that allows citizens to contact local political officials. Analyzing government responses to over 1,200 realistic appeals from putative citizens, we find that local service institutions in China are comparably responsive to similar in...

Constituency Service in Ghana

Constituency service is an important duty for politicians. Numerous scholars argue that this duty is critical for reelection (Fiorina 1977, Fenno 1978). In the African context, constituency service is also important for both electoral and social reasons, but research on this topic primarily focuses on national legislators. Based on my fieldwork observations, I argue that citizens in sub–Saharan...

Constituency Service and Incumbency Advantage

Constituency Service and Incumbency Advantage

Constituency Service and Incumbency Advantage