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Stop Suffering! Economic Downturns and Pentecostal Upsurge

Author

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  • Francisco Costa
  • Angelo Marcantonio
  • Rudi Rocha

Abstract

This paper estimates the effects of economic downturns on the expansion of Pentecostal Evangelicalism in Brazil. Regions more exposed to economic distress experienced a persistent rise both in Pentecostal affiliation and in the vote share of candidates connected to Pentecostal churches in national legislative elections. Once elected, these politicians carry out an agenda with greater emphasis on issues that are sensitive to fundamental religious principles. We, therefore, find that recessions led to the rise of religious fundamentalism in tandem with the transfer of political capital to elected Pentecostal leaders.

Suggested Citation

  • Francisco Costa & Angelo Marcantonio & Rudi Rocha, 2023. "Stop Suffering! Economic Downturns and Pentecostal Upsurge," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 21(1), pages 215-250.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:jeurec:v:21:y:2023:i:1:p:215-250.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/jeea/jvac034
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    Cited by:

    1. Silveus, Neil & Stoddard, Christiana, 2020. "Identifying the causal effect of income on religiosity using the Earned Income Tax Credit," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 178(C), pages 903-924.
    2. Oeindrila Dube & Joshua Blumenstock & Michael Callen, 2022. "Measuring Religion from Behavior: Climate Shocks and Religious Adherence in Afghanistan," NBER Working Papers 30694, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. repec:osf:osfxxx:a72k8_v1 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Raphael Corbi & Fabio Miessi Sanches, 2022. "Church Competition, Religious Subsidies and the Rise of Evangelicalism: a Dynamic Structural Analysis," Working Papers, Department of Economics 2022_09, University of São Paulo (FEA-USP).
    5. Pedro Ogeda & Emanuel Ornelas & Rodrigo R Soares, 2025. "Labor Unions and the Electoral Consequences of Trade Liberalization," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 23(1), pages 236-280.
    6. Sascha O. Becker & Amma Panin & Steven J. Pfaff & Jared Rubin, 2025. "Religion and Economic Development: Past, Present, and Future," Working Papers 25-01, Chapman University, Economic Science Institute.
    7. Barros, Laura & Santos Silva, Manuel, 2025. "Economic shocks, gender, and populism: Evidence from Brazil," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    8. Laura Barros & Manuel Santos Silva, 2019. "#EleNão: Economic crisis, the political gender gap, and the election of Bolsonaro," Ibero America Institute for Econ. Research (IAI) Discussion Papers 242, Ibero-America Institute for Economic Research.
    9. Costa, Francisco J M & Marcantonio, Angelo & Rocha, Rudi, 2024. "Beyond the Pulpit: Pentecostal Growth and Economic Transformations in Brazil," OSF Preprints a72k8, Center for Open Science.
    10. Jean-Paul Carvalho & Jared Rubin & Michael Sacks, 2024. "Correction to: Failed secular revolutions: religious belief, competition, and extremism," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 200(3), pages 587-588, September.
    11. Han, Jiajun & Zhang, Yuan, 2025. "Education and tolerance towards Homosexuality—Evidence from China," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).

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