Nearly 20 years ago, 1.85 billion people globally were living on less than $1.90 a day. By 2015, this figure was cut in half. Despite such progress, the number of people living in poverty remains far too high.

In the face of such a daunting challenge, it is helpful to remember that true prosperity is a global concern. Tackling seemingly intractable problems, like poverty, is not solely a concern for the world’s developing nations. When the poor among us are given opportunities to succeed, everyone benefits—individuals, families, communities and whole economies. Many factors have contributed to the shifting geography of poverty. In Africa, weak economic performance—fueled by conflict, ineffective policies, ethnic fragmentation, and external shocks—has made it more difficult for countries to fund poverty-alleviation programs. But the most important factor may be state capacity. After all, weak state institutions cannot effectively deliver public goods and services.

Of course, this leads to another question: what factors determine a state’s capacity? In general, states work better when ruling elites are bound by limits on their power. But administrative experience also plays a role. China, with a slightly longer period of modern statehood than most of its younger African counterparts, may simply have developed a greater ability to administer its territory.