Does national leaders’ work experience matter for economic growth?

Abstract

I examine the effects of national leaders’ work experience on economic growth. Exploiting a cross-country panel data set that covers 135 countries and 60 years (1950–2010), I find that leaders’ richness of experience in public sectors (REPS) has significant and positive impacts on economic growth. I employ random leadership transitions and a regression discontinuity approach based on close elections to establish causality. I also rule out the case that better growth trajectories lead to the selection of more experienced leaders. REPS also improves various economic and political outcomes. Leaders’ work experience in private sectors does not have discernible effects on economic growth.