This talk examines how business interest groups in weak institutional contexts use selective incentives to address the free-rider problem in collective action, specifically in China. By linking membership in interprovincial chambers of commerce (CoCs) to government subsidies, we show that chamber firms receive significantly more subsidies than non-members, driven by political connections facilitated by the chambers. The findings highlight the role of business associations as brokers, providing access to powerful officials and demonstrating the exchange of selective benefits for political favor.

Zeren Li is an Assistant Professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore. His research focuses on business-government relations, bureaucracy, good governance, and authoritarian politics, with a particular interest in China. His work has been published in journals such as the British Journal of Political Science, Journal of Politics, Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, The China Quarterly, and other journals. He earned his PhD in Political Science from Duke University. Prior to Duke, he obtained his bachelor's degree from Fudan University and completed his MPhil at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Before joining NUS, Dr. Li served as a Postdoctoral Associate in the Leitner Program of Political Economy at the MacMillan Center, Yale University.

If there is anything we can do to make this event accessible to you, please contact us at chinese.studies@umich.edu. Please be aware that advance notice is necessary as some accommodations may require more time for the university to arrange.