Segregation and the Quality of Government in a Cross Section of Countries
- (pp. 1872-1911)
Abstract
We provide a new compilation of data on ethnic, linguistic, and religious composition at the subnational level for a large number of countries. Using these data, we measure segregation of groups within the country. To overcome the endogeneity problem that arises because of mobility and endogenous internal borders, we construct an instrument for segregation. We find that more ethnically and linguistically segregated countries, i.e., those where groups live more spatially separately, have a lower quality of government; there is no relationship between religious segregation and governance. Trust is an important channel of influence; it is lower in more segregated countries. (JEL H11, H77, J15, O17, Z12, Z13)Citation
Alesina, Alberto, and Ekaterina Zhuravskaya. 2011. "Segregation and the Quality of Government in a Cross Section of Countries." American Economic Review, 101 (5): 1872-1911. DOI: 10.1257/aer.101.5.1872Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- H11 Structure, Scope, and Performance of Government
- H77 Intergovernmental Relations; Federalism; Secession
- J15 Economics of Minorities and Races; Non-labor Discrimination
- O17 Formal and Informal Sectors; Shadow Economy; Institutional Arrangements
- Z12 Cultural Economics: Religion
- Z13 Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Social and Economic Stratification