A Catalyst for the Improvement of Inclusive Public Service: The Role of High-Speed Rail

Basic public service (BPS) serves as a crucial connection between governments and citizens, impacting the standard of living and well-being of the populace. Can High-Speed Rail (HSR) service incentivize local governments to improve the fiscal competition model of prioritizing production over public...

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Main Authors: Jiangye He, Junwei Wang, Kehu Tan, Chang Ma, Junda Huang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Systems
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2079-8954/13/5/380
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author Jiangye He
Junwei Wang
Kehu Tan
Chang Ma
Junda Huang
author_facet Jiangye He
Junwei Wang
Kehu Tan
Chang Ma
Junda Huang
author_sort Jiangye He
collection DOAJ
description Basic public service (BPS) serves as a crucial connection between governments and citizens, impacting the standard of living and well-being of the populace. Can High-Speed Rail (HSR) service incentivize local governments to improve the fiscal competition model of prioritizing production over public service to expand the supply of public services? This study empirically examines the impact of HSR service on the provision of BPS based on panel data from 282 cities in China during the period from 2008 to 2020. The findings indicate that improvements in HSR service significantly stimulate the provision of BPS, a result that withstands various robustness tests. An analysis of mechanisms reveals that HSR service enhances the provision of BPS by mitigating tax competition and fostering fiscal expenditure competition among local governments. Furthermore, this study demonstrates that the positive impact of HSR is more pronounced in cities characterized by high levels of fiscal decentralization and financial autonomy. In western regions and peripheral cities, HSR service has a more pronounced effect on BPS provision. Ultimately, this study offers valuable policy insights for governments to optimize fiscal expenditure structures and bolster social governance capabilities.
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spelling doaj-art-60ded5147a8a426eb3a410027c7c73152025-08-20T02:33:51ZengMDPI AGSystems2079-89542025-05-0113538010.3390/systems13050380A Catalyst for the Improvement of Inclusive Public Service: The Role of High-Speed RailJiangye He0Junwei Wang1Kehu Tan2Chang Ma3Junda Huang4School of Economics and Management, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044, ChinaSchool of Economics and Management, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044, ChinaSchool of Economics and Management, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044, ChinaSchool of Economics and Management, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044, ChinaSchool of Civil Engineering and Transportation, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641, ChinaBasic public service (BPS) serves as a crucial connection between governments and citizens, impacting the standard of living and well-being of the populace. Can High-Speed Rail (HSR) service incentivize local governments to improve the fiscal competition model of prioritizing production over public service to expand the supply of public services? This study empirically examines the impact of HSR service on the provision of BPS based on panel data from 282 cities in China during the period from 2008 to 2020. The findings indicate that improvements in HSR service significantly stimulate the provision of BPS, a result that withstands various robustness tests. An analysis of mechanisms reveals that HSR service enhances the provision of BPS by mitigating tax competition and fostering fiscal expenditure competition among local governments. Furthermore, this study demonstrates that the positive impact of HSR is more pronounced in cities characterized by high levels of fiscal decentralization and financial autonomy. In western regions and peripheral cities, HSR service has a more pronounced effect on BPS provision. Ultimately, this study offers valuable policy insights for governments to optimize fiscal expenditure structures and bolster social governance capabilities.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-8954/13/5/380high-speed railtax competitionfiscal expenditure competitionprovision of basic public service
spellingShingle Jiangye He
Junwei Wang
Kehu Tan
Chang Ma
Junda Huang
A Catalyst for the Improvement of Inclusive Public Service: The Role of High-Speed Rail
Systems
high-speed rail
tax competition
fiscal expenditure competition
provision of basic public service
title A Catalyst for the Improvement of Inclusive Public Service: The Role of High-Speed Rail
title_full A Catalyst for the Improvement of Inclusive Public Service: The Role of High-Speed Rail
title_fullStr A Catalyst for the Improvement of Inclusive Public Service: The Role of High-Speed Rail
title_full_unstemmed A Catalyst for the Improvement of Inclusive Public Service: The Role of High-Speed Rail
title_short A Catalyst for the Improvement of Inclusive Public Service: The Role of High-Speed Rail
title_sort catalyst for the improvement of inclusive public service the role of high speed rail
topic high-speed rail
tax competition
fiscal expenditure competition
provision of basic public service
url https://www.mdpi.com/2079-8954/13/5/380
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