Possibly, but also assuming it's an actually sophisticated analysis and not an naive one, like the Martinez Democracy vs Autocracy study that western MSM loves

Possibly, but also assuming it's an actually sophisticated analysis and not an naive one, like the Martinez Democracy vs Autocracy study that western MSM loves to peddle. NBER (one of top eco think tanks) did a sophisticated night lights study of PRC in 2017 - same year as OG Martinez study using naive methodology as Henderson original work from early 2010s - and found PRC's reported GDP was actually _underestimated_ using night light data. But for obvious reasons this study by multiple staff economists at the FED doesn't get any attention in western MSM, but one by an assistent prof of public policy somehow does. Almost as if it's good self marketting considering Martinez keeps updating study with same rudimentary methodology every few years to get clicks.