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Government Regulation, Social Anomie And Protestant Growth In Latin America

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  • Anthony Gill

Abstract

The rapid growth of evangelical Protestantism in Latin America has received a substantial amount of scholarly attention in recent years. The most common explanation for this phenomenon has been a variant of `social anomie' theory that focuses on changes in social demand for religion. Individuals experiencing socio-economic crisis become displaced from their communities and lose their cultural identities. These individuals are then more susceptible to the appeals of new religious movements. An alternative, supply-side hypothesis is advanced. I argue that the degree of government regulation of religious economies can best account for cross-national variations in Protestant growth. Less restrictive laws regulating religious organizations lower the cost of consuming religion, thus leading to an increase in religious diversity and participation. Comparative statistical analysis of 20 Latin American countries supports the latter hypothesis. This analysis suggests that secularization is a function of government policy.

Suggested Citation

  • Anthony Gill, 1999. "Government Regulation, Social Anomie And Protestant Growth In Latin America," Rationality and Society, , vol. 11(3), pages 287-316, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:ratsoc:v:11:y:1999:i:3:p:287-316
    DOI: 10.1177/104346399011003002
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Mark Chaves & David E. Cann, 1992. "Regulation, Pluralism, and Religious Market Structure," Rationality and Society, , vol. 4(3), pages 272-290, July.
    2. Rodney Stark, 1992. "Do Catholic Societies Really Exist?," Rationality and Society, , vol. 4(3), pages 261-271, July.
    3. Laurence R. Iannaccone, 1991. "The Consequences of Religious Market Structure," Rationality and Society, , vol. 3(2), pages 156-177, April.
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    2. Raphaël Franck, 2010. "Economic Growth And The Separation Of Church And State: The French Case," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 48(4), pages 841-859, October.
    3. Henley, Andrew, 2014. "Is Religion Associated with Entrepreneurial Activity?," IZA Discussion Papers 8111, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    4. Jason Wollschleger, 2013. "Church government and religious participation," Rationality and Society, , vol. 25(4), pages 470-488, November.
    5. Oliveira, Livio Luiz Soares de & Neto, Giácomo Balbinotto, 2013. "The problem of the principal-agent and promotion tournaments in religious organizations: choosing the next pope," MPRA Paper 44610, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Ciaian, Pavel & PokrivÄ Ã¡k, Ján & Kancs, D'Artis, 2012. "The Rise and Fall of Enforcement Institutions: An Example of Religion and Secularism," European Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 20(2), pages 233-251, March.
    7. Pyne, Derek, 2013. "An afterlife capital model of religious choice," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 32-44.
    8. Oliveira, Livio Luiz Soares de & Neto, Giácomo Balbinotto, 2013. "A teoria do mercado religioso : evidências empíricas da literatura [The theory of religious market : empirical evidence from the literature]," MPRA Paper 51716, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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