Up the Political Ladder: The Role of Political Networks

Abstract

Climbing the political career ladder is demanding anywhere, but it is most arduous in China where the selection process has been historically opaque. Using a network and a machine learning approach and by means of the most comprehensive available information to date, we unveil the combined dynamics of the career path, economic performance, and political patronage in selecting the provincial leadership. By focusing on the global importance (centrality) of one’s position throughout the networks, we evaluate the relative importance of various factors up the political ladder, highlighting the critical role of political networks and career path among various other factors.

Keywords: Leadership, Politician, Network, Centrality, Machine Learning

JEL Classification: D72, D85, K16, J24