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The effects of remittances on support for democracy in Africa: Are remittances a curse or a blessing?

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  • Konte M.

    (UNU-MERIT)

Abstract

We examine the effect of remittances on the legitimacy of democracy in Africa, testing whether remittance recipients are less likely to support democracy than are non-recipients. We hypothesise that the effect of remittances on support for democracy varies across groups of individuals sharing similar but unobserved background characteristics. Using the Afrobarometer surveys, we try to find out whether the respondents fall into different hidden clusters in such a way that the effect of remittances on the degree of support for democracy depends on the cluster. Our results support that remittances may be a curse for the degree of endorsement and support for democracy depending on the cluster of individuals that we consider. The analysis of the probability of being in the remittance curse cluster indicates that the perception of national priorities plays an important role. Indeed, people who attest that freedom and rights are the main national priorities have a lower probability of belonging to the remittances curse cluster than individuals who choose national priorities that are oriented towards the economic conditions of their country.

Suggested Citation

  • Konte M., 2015. "The effects of remittances on support for democracy in Africa: Are remittances a curse or a blessing?," MERIT Working Papers 2015-008, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    • Handle: RePEc:unm:unumer:2015008
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    1. Thierry Baudassé & Rémi Bazillier & Ismaël Issifou, 2018. "Migration And Institutions: Exit And Voice (From Abroad)?," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(3), pages 727-766, July.
    2. Gordon Anderson & Maria Grazia Pittau & Roberto Zelli & Jasmin Thomas, 2018. "Income Inequality, Cohesiveness and Commonality in the Euro Area: A Semi-Parametric Boundary-Free Analysis," Econometrics, MDPI, vol. 6(2), pages 1-20, March.
    3. Nana Kwabena Kufuor & Kevin Williams, 2024. "A source of funding for illicit activities or a solution to crime? Evidence from remittance inflows to Jamaica," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 36(1), pages 3-25, January.
    4. Escriba-Folch, Abel & Meseguer, Covadonga & Wright, Joseph, 2018. "Remittances and protest in dictatorships," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 89058, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    5. Konte, Maty & Ndubuisi, Gideon, 2019. "Remittances and Bribery in Africa," MERIT Working Papers 2019-043, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    6. Ouédraogo, Rasmané & Sawadogo, Relwendé & Sawadogo, Hamidou, 2021. "Access to the banking sector and employment in Africa," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 260-269.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Microeconomic Behavior; Remittances; Economywide Country Studies; Africa;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D01 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Microeconomic Behavior: Underlying Principles
    • F24 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - Remittances
    • O55 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Africa

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