2021/03/05 by Lasse Aaskoven, Jacob Nyrup · 6 citations
Social Sciences · Economics, Econometrics and Finance · #Culture, Economy, and Development Studies #Italy: Economic History and Contemporary Issues #Historical Economic and Social Studies
paper · doi:10.5129/001041521x16132218140269
Scholars of autocracies increasingly debate whether autocratic regimes promote their subordinates based on achievements, such as economic performance, and further a meritocratic system. This article argues that the extent to which autocratic regimes reward economic performance is not constant over the course of an autocratic regime's lifespan but varies depending on the strategic goals of the regime and the regime's ability to monitor its subordinates' performance. We collect a new dataset on the careers of the regional leaders of the German Nazi Party, the Gauleiters, from 1936 to 1944, and a wealth of historical data sources from the regime. Using this, we show that better regional economic performance increased the chance of receiving a promotion before the outbreak of World War II but not after.