Do Natural Resources Breed Corruption? Evidence from China

Rampant corruption is often observed in resource-rich countries, especially developing countries with weak political institutions. However, controversies exist regarding whether and how natural resources systematically breed corruption. With empirical evidence from China and through a subnational approach, I shed new light on the impacts of resources on corruption. By qualitative study of corruption cases, I identify the causal channels through which resources contribute to corruption, and using cross-regional and longitudinal statistical analysis on a unique dataset of corruption rates in China, I find that resource dependence significantly increases the propensity for corruption by state employees.