发展分权化：政府拆分的经济影响
Decentralizing Development: The Economic Impacts of Government Splits
American Economic Journal: Applied Economics · 2026 · [{"name": "Ricardo Dahis", "affiliation": ["Monash University"]}, {"name": "Christiane Szerman", "affiliation": ["London School of Economics and Political Science"]}]
中文摘要
旨在向地方政府下放权力的政治边界变更在许多国家普遍存在。我们考察通过拆分创建政府单位的经济影响。利用促使巴西市镇数量急剧增加的改革，我们发现，自愿拆分扩大了公共部门规模、提升了公共服务供给，并刺激了新设地方政府的长期经济活动。这些收益并未被其他地区的损失所抵消，且在被母体政府忽视的边缘、偏远和欠发达地区更为显著。更高的财政收入与分权化决策共同促成了对地方经济活动的正向效应。（JEL D72, H41, H75, H76, H77, Q53, R51）
Abstract
Changes in political boundaries aimed at devolving power to local governments are common across many countries. We examine the economic impacts of government unit creation through splitting. Exploiting reforms that led to sharp increases in the number of municipalities in Brazil, we show that voluntary splitting enlarges the public sector, enhances public service delivery, and stimulates long-term economic activity in new local governments. These gains are not offset by losses elsewhere and are stronger in peripheral, remote, and underdeveloped areas neglected by parent governments. Higher fiscal revenues and decentralized decision-making contribute to the positive effects on local economic activity. (JEL D72, H41, H75, H76, H77, Q53, R51)