Cooperation and authoritarian values: An experimental study in China
Vollan B, Landmann A, Zhou Y, Hu B, Herrmann-Pillath C (2017)
Publication Type: Journal article
Publication year: 2017
Journal
Book Volume: 93
Pages Range: 90-105
DOI: 10.1016/j.euroecorev.2017.01.007
Abstract
Using samples of both students and workers in China and comparing democratic decision making (i.e. being able to choose one's rules) to non-democratic decision making (i.e. exogenously imposed rule), we show that Chinese participants cooperate the most in a public goods game under the stylized authoritarian environment. This finding may be surprising in light of previous evidence for a “democracy premium” but is in line with authoritarian norms which are prominent in China. We further show that there is a systematic association between participants’ values and their relative contribution decisions in exogenous and endogenous implementation of the rule. Our major finding is that those subjects that place greater value on accepting authority are responsible for greater levels of cooperation under top-down governance. Our findings provide evidence that the effectiveness of a political institution depends on its congruence with individual values and societal norms.
Authors with CRIS profile
Involved external institutions
Paris School of Economics / École d'Économie de Paris
France (FR)
Philipps-Universität Marburg
Germany (DE)
Beijing Normal University
China (CN)
Universität Erfurt
Germany (DE)
France (FR)
Philipps-Universität Marburg
Germany (DE)
Beijing Normal University
China (CN)
Universität Erfurt
Germany (DE)
How to cite
APA:
Vollan, B., Landmann, A., Zhou, Y., Hu, B., & Herrmann-Pillath, C. (2017). Cooperation and authoritarian values: An experimental study in China. European Economic Review, 93, 90-105. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euroecorev.2017.01.007
MLA:
Vollan, Bjorn, et al. "Cooperation and authoritarian values: An experimental study in China." European Economic Review 93 (2017): 90-105.
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