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Agricultural legacy and individualistic culture

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  • James B. Ang

    (Nanyang Technological University)

Abstract

This paper presents evidence on the relationship between traditional farming practices and the emergence of individualistic culture. It hypothesizes that agricultural legacies have a persistent effect on the prevalence of modern-day individualistic traits. Individualism emerged in societies engaged in the farming of less labor-intensive crops, whereas interdependence emerged in societies engaged in the farming of more labor-intensive crops. The empirical analyses establish that agricultural legacies have shaped the formation of individualist traits among individuals, pre-industrial ethnic groups, and countries.

Suggested Citation

  • James B. Ang, 2019. "Agricultural legacy and individualistic culture," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 24(4), pages 397-425, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jecgro:v:24:y:2019:i:4:d:10.1007_s10887-019-09171-5
    DOI: 10.1007/s10887-019-09171-5
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    Cited by:

    1. Vu, Trung V., 2020. "Individualism and climate change policies: International evidence," MPRA Paper 98888, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Eder, Christoph & Halla, Martin, 2020. "Economic origins of cultural norms: The case of animal husbandry and bastardy," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 125(C).
    3. Jayasekara, Dinithi N., 2021. "Can traditional farming practices explain attitudes towards scientific progress?," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 320-339.
    4. Daniel Aparicio-Pérez & Jordi Ripollés, 2024. "Disentangling the heterogeneous effect of natural resources on economic growth," Working Papers 2024/02, Economics Department, Universitat Jaume I, Castellón (Spain).
    5. Mohanty, Aatishya & Sharma, Swati, 2022. "COVID-19 regulations, culture, and the environment," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    6. Xiao Wang & Jinming Shi & Jia Li & Yu Chen & Jianxu Liu & Songsak Sriboonchitta, 2023. "Analysis on Trade Competition and Complementarity of High-Quality Agricultural Products in Countries along the Belt and Road Initiative," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-34, April.
    7. Fredriksson, Per G. & Gupta, Satyendra Kumar, 2020. "Irrigation and Culture: Gender Roles and Women’s Rights," GLO Discussion Paper Series 681, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    8. Krieger, Tommy, 2020. "Elite structure and the provision of health-promoting public goods," ZEW Discussion Papers 20-064, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    9. Bogatzki, Tamara, 2021. "Heterogeneity in migration network effects across cultures," Discussion Papers, Research Unit: Migration, Integration, Transnationalization SP VI 2021-102, WZB Berlin Social Science Center.
    10. Gaganis, Chrysovalantis & Hasan, Iftekhar & Pasiouras, Fotios, 2020. "National culture and housing credit," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 19-41.
    11. Griffin, Dale & Guedhami, Omrane & Li, Kai & Lu, Guangli, 2021. "National culture and the valueto implications of corporate environmental and social performance," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    12. Ideen A. Riahi, 2022. "Why Eurasia? A probe into the origins of global inequalities," Cliometrica, Springer;Cliometric Society (Association Francaise de Cliométrie), vol. 16(1), pages 105-147, January.
    13. Fredriksson, Per G. & Mohanty, Aatishya, 2021. "Sunlight and Culture," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 188(C), pages 757-782.
    14. Areendam Chanda & Bulent Unel, 2021. "Do attitudes toward risk taking affect entrepreneurship? Evidence from second-generation Americans," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 26(4), pages 385-413, December.
    15. Mohanty, Aatishya & Saxena, Akshar, 2023. "Diarrheal disease, sanitation, and culture in India," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 317(C).
    16. Choi, Jaerim & Lim, Sunghun, 2023. "Ostrom Meets the Pandemic: Lessons from Asian Rice Farming Traditions," 97th Annual Conference, March 27-29, 2023, Warwick University, Coventry, UK 334543, Agricultural Economics Society - AES.
    17. Ang, James B. & Madsen, Jakob B. & Wang, Wen, 2021. "Rice farming, culture and democracy," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    18. Fredriksson, Per G. & Gupta, Satyendra Kumar, 2023. "Irrigation and gender roles," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 163(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Agriculture; Culture; Individualism; Labor intensity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O30 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - General
    • Z1 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics

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