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National Identity and Public Goods Provision

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  • Ani Harutyunyan

    (College of William & Mary)

Abstract

This research investigates the relationship between national identity and public goods provision across a wide range of countries. The analysis shows that national identity, measured based on survey data, and public goods provision, measured by a broad set of indicators, are negatively related. This result is explained through a proposed short-run model on country stability, where the provision of national identity and public goods are substitutable. The findings challenge the conventional wisdom on nation-building as a policy tool for mitigating the adverse effects of fractionalization, suggesting that generally it is used as a tool for governments to divert the attention of its citizens from most pressing issues, such as the provision of elementary public goods.

Suggested Citation

  • Ani Harutyunyan, 2020. "National Identity and Public Goods Provision," Comparative Economic Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Association for Comparative Economic Studies, vol. 62(1), pages 1-33, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:compes:v:62:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1057_s41294-019-00101-3
    DOI: 10.1057/s41294-019-00101-3
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    National identity; Public goods; Fractionalization; Country stability;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F59 - International Economics - - International Relations, National Security, and International Political Economy - - - Other
    • H13 - Public Economics - - Structure and Scope of Government - - - Economics of Eminent Domain; Expropriation; Nationalization
    • H20 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - General
    • H40 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - General
    • H50 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - General
    • Z10 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - General

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