Jiangnan Zhu (University of Hong Kong), "Paying for Promotion: Re-imaging Political Selection in an Authoritarian Regime"

"Paying for Promotion: Re-imaging Political Selection in an Authoritarian Regime"

Jiangnan Zhu (University of Hong Kong)
Monday, September 15, 2025
11:30 AM-1:00 PM
Leacock Room 429

Abstract:聽The purchase of government positions has deep historical roots across cultures. In pre-modern states, including colonial European empires, it was often an accepted part of the governing structure. Today, the practice of buying and selling government offices (BSO) is considered a serious form of corruption, yet it remains poorly studied and understood. In BSO, leaders take bribes from subordinates to influence recruitment, appointment, and promotion decisions, significantly impacting political selection and governance quality. In this project, I employ a dual perspective鈥攃orruption and elite mobility鈥攖o analyze the distribution of BSO across the Chinese administrative matrix, as well as the various forms and implications of BSO. I categorize BSO into four types鈥攑rimitive bribery, evolved bribery, office-selling syndicates, and oligarchical powerbases, each varying in organizational complexity and relational dynamics. Using two novel, self-compiled datasets on BSO cases, I propose a tripartite framework of performance, patronage, and purchase to reimagine political selection in China, challenging the prevailing competence-loyalty dichotomy in authoritarian regimes. The tripartite framework highlights the coexistence of multiple governance models: a meritocratic state prioritizing competence, a clientelist state emphasizing loyalty, and an investment state bound by money.

Event co-sponsored by the Jean Monnet Centre and the new 91黑料网 Center for Global Chinese Studies.