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International Terrorism: Causes, Consequences and Cures

Author

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  • Graham Bird
  • S. Brock Blomberg
  • Gregory D. Hess

Abstract

A popular view is that international terrorism is on the increase, that it is religiously motivated and that it has important adverse consequences. This paper investigates this view. It examines the empirical evidence on the causes of international terrorism from the late 1960s to the early 2000s and discovers that, while religion has had a part to play, explanations based on economics and politics appear to be consistent with the facts. Terrorists come from relatively poor and undemocratic countries and commit attacks in relatively rich and democratic ones. The paper then examines the micro, macro and global economic effects of international terrorism from both a theoretical and empirical angle, and discovers that the negative effect on domestic aggregate demand is temporary and the effect on aggregate supply insignificant. Finally, the paper explores policies to deal with international terrorism and demonstrates that this is complex. Analogies with conventional crime may be unhelpful.

Suggested Citation

  • Graham Bird & S. Brock Blomberg & Gregory D. Hess, 2008. "International Terrorism: Causes, Consequences and Cures," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(2), pages 255-274, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:worlde:v:31:y:2008:i:2:p:255-274
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9701.2007.01089.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Daniel Mirza & Thierry Verdier, 2014. "Are Lives a Substitute for Livelihoods? Terrorism, Security, and US Bilateral Imports," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 58(6), pages 943-975, September.
    2. Jason Bram & James A. Orr & Carol Rapaport, 2002. "Measuring the effects of the September 11 attack on New York City," Economic Policy Review, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, vol. 8(Nov), pages 5-20.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Friedrich Schneider & Tilman Brück & Daniel Meierrieks, 2010. "The Economics of Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism: A Survey (Part I)," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 1049, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    2. Friedrich Schneider & Tilman Brück & Daniel Meierrieks, 2015. "The Economics Of Counterterrorism: A Survey," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(1), pages 131-157, February.
    3. Zimmermann, Ekkart, 2011. "Globalization and terrorism," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 27(S1), pages 152-161.
    4. Csaba, László, 2008. "Módszertan és relevancia a közgazdaságtanban. A mai közgazdaságtan és a társtudományok [Methodology and relevancy in economics. Today s economics and associated sciences]," Közgazdasági Szemle (Economic Review - monthly of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences), Közgazdasági Szemle Alapítvány (Economic Review Foundation), vol. 0(4), pages 285-307.
    5. Ruiz Estrada, Mario Arturo & Koutronas, Evangelos, 2016. "Terrorist attack assessment: Paris November 2015 and Brussels March 2016," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 38(3), pages 553-571.
    6. Agama Christian Sunday & Obasi Samuel Ugochukwu & Obiagwu Obinna Victor & Onyeakazi Jude Chukwuma & Ozoigbo Bonaventure Ikechukwu, 2024. "The Import of Symbolism in African Religious Experience," European Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies Articles, Revistia Research and Publishing, vol. 10, ejis_v10_.
    7. Kollias, Christos & Papadamou, Stephanos & Stagiannis, Apostolos, 2011. "Terrorism and capital markets: The effects of the Madrid and London bomb attacks," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 20(4), pages 532-541, October.
    8. Grzegorz Zimon, 2023. "Prospects for the Development of Transport in Poland during the Energy Crisis," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 13(3), pages 56-60, May.
    9. Tim Krieger & Daniel Meierrieks, 2009. "Armut, Ungleichheit, wirtschaftliche Schwäche?: Empirische Evidenz und methodische Herausforderungen zum Zusammenhang von Ökonomie und Terrorismus," Vierteljahrshefte zur Wirtschaftsforschung / Quarterly Journal of Economic Research, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research, vol. 78(4), pages 29-40.
    10. L. Elbakidze & Y. H. Jin, 2015. "Are Economic Development and Education Improvement Associated with Participation in Transnational Terrorism?," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 35(8), pages 1520-1535, August.
    11. Krieger, Tim & Meierrieks, Daniel, 2019. "The economic consequences of terrorism for the European Union," Discussion Paper Series 2019-02, University of Freiburg, Wilfried Guth Endowed Chair for Constitutional Political Economy and Competition Policy.
    12. Ercan Akan & Tunahan Gültekin & Sibel Bayar, 2022. "Statistical analysis of maritime piracy cases in world territorial waters," Journal of Transportation Security, Springer, vol. 15(3), pages 263-280, December.
    13. Bisharat Hussain Chang & Khalil Ahmed Channa & Emmanuel Uche & Osamah Ibrahim Khalaf & Osamah Waheed Ali, 2022. "Analyzing the impacts of terrorism on innovation activity: A cross country empirical study," Advances in Decision Sciences, Asia University, Taiwan, vol. 26(Special), pages 124-161, December.
    14. Phan, Dinh Hoang Bach & Narayan, Paresh Kumar & Gong, Qiang, 2021. "Terrorist attacks and oil prices: Hypothesis and empirical evidence," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    15. Frey, Bruno S., 2009. "How can business cope with terrorism?," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 31(5), pages 779-787, September.

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