1. What are the pros and cons of political influence over the selection of bureaucrats? Theoretically speaking, politician-bureaucratic alignment could increase or decrease the productivity of bureaucrats. Why? Do we think that the benefits of bureaucratic alignment are higher or lower for higher-level bureaucratic appointments? Why? How do Fiva et al 2019 test this? What do they find?
2. Colonnelli, Prem and Teso (2019) claim that political connections are an important determinant of public employment in Brazilian municipalities today. They interpret this is evidence of patronage. What alternative stories could explain their findings?