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Democracy, education and the quality of government

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  • Piergiuseppe Fortunato
  • Ugo Panizza

Abstract

This paper looks at how the interaction between democracy and education affects the quality of government. Using various cross-sectional and dynamic panel data specifications, we show that the success of democratic institutions is closely related to the educational attainment of the population. Democratic elections do not foster the quality of government in countries with low average levels of education. Education, in turn, has a positive effect on the quality of government only in consolidated democracies. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media New York 2015

Suggested Citation

  • Piergiuseppe Fortunato & Ugo Panizza, 2015. "Democracy, education and the quality of government," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 20(4), pages 333-363, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jecgro:v:20:y:2015:i:4:p:333-363
    DOI: 10.1007/s10887-015-9120-5
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Education; Democracy; Quality of government; Corruption; Elections; Institutions; D72; D73; H11; O43;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • H11 - Public Economics - - Structure and Scope of Government - - - Structure and Scope of Government
    • P16 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Capitalist Economies - - - Capitalist Institutions; Welfare State

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