Abstract
The author argues that regime type determines resource distribution tied to post-disaster reconstruction. In a democratic regime, when societal resource mobilization capacity is strong and administrative principal-agent problems are few, it is possible to adequately manage the deterioration of social inequality after a disaster. In contrast, in an authoritarian regime marked by limited freedoms of speech and association, politicians and administrators tend toward corruption, social inequalities worsen, and social protests suffer. I use two earthquakes (1999 in Taiwan and 2008 in Sichuan province) to investigate hypotheses regarding reconstruction politics. According to my findings, the Chinese communist regime suppressed civil association and mass media freedoms, resulting in greater inequalities in land/housing redistribution and increased collective action on the part of Chinese citizens.