This file is part of IDEAS, which uses RePEc data


[ Papers | Articles | Software | Books | Chapters | Authors | Institutions | JEL Classification | NEP reports | Search | New papers by email | Author registration | Rankings | Volunteers | FAQ | Blog | Help! ]

Stability of Nations and Genetic DiversityÂ

Author info | Abstract | Publisher info | Download info | Related research | Statistics
Author Info
Klaus Desmet () (Universidad Carlos III, Getafe (Madrid), Spain, and CEPR)
 Ignacio Ortunoâ€Ortin () (Universidad Carlos III, Getafe (Madrid), Spain)
 Shlomo Weber () (Southern Methodist University, Dallas, USA, CORE, Catholic University of Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, and CEPR)

Additional information is available for the following registered author(s):

Abstract

This paper investigates the effect of linguistic diversity on redistribution in a broad cross-section of countries. We use the notion of "linguistic distances" and show that the commonly used fractionalization index, which ignores linguistic distances, yields insignificant results. However, once distances between languages are accounted for, linguistic diversity has both a statistically and economically significant effect on redistribution. With an average level of redistribution of 9.5% of GDP in our data set, an increase by one standard deviation in the degree of diversity lowers redistribution by approximately one percentage point. We also demonstrate that other measures, such as polarization and peripheral heterogeneity, provide similar results when linguistic distances are incorporated.

Download Info
To download:

If you experience problems downloading a file, check if you have the proper application to view it first. Information about this may be contained in the File-Format links below. In case of further problems read the IDEAS help page. Note that these files are not on the IDEAS site. Please be patient as the files may be large.

File URL: http://www.iset.ge/files/004-08.pdf
File Format: application/pdf
File Function: First version, 2008
Download Restriction: no

Publisher Info
Paper provided by International School of Economics at TSU, Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia in its series Working Papers with number 004-08.

Download reference. The following formats are available: HTML (with abstract), plain text (with abstract), BibTeX, RIS (EndNote, RefMan, ProCite), ReDIF
Length: 34 pages
Date of creation: Jul 2008
Date of revision:
Handle: RePEc:tbs:wpaper:08-004

Contact details of provider:
Web page: http://www.iset.ge/
More information through EDIRC

For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its listing, contact: (Zaier Aouani).

Related research
Keywords: nation formation; genetic diversity; cultural heterogeneity; secession; uniï¬cation; European Union;

Other versions of this item:

Find related papers by JEL classification:
H77 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - Intergovernmental Relations; Federalism
D70 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - General
F02 - International Economics - - General - - - International Economic Order; Noneconomic International Organizations;; Economic Integration and Globalization: General
H40 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - General

Statistics
Access and download statistics

Did you know? A few items listed on IDEAS are over 2000 years old!

This page was last updated on 2009-11-19.

This information is provided to you by IDEAS at the Department of Economics, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Connecticut using RePEc data on a server sponsored by the Society for Economic Dynamics.