Localized Bargaining: The Political Economy of China's High-Speed Railway Program

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The book presents a novel theory of intergovernmental bargaining through the lens of China's high-speed railway development. It highlights how territorial authorities engage in bottom-up bargaining, influencing investment allocation in the railway system. By examining the competition among localities for railway stations, it reveals the use of both institutional and extra-institutional bargaining power. This analysis offers valuable insights into the functioning of China's vast economy and the role of local governance in infrastructure projects.