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The Political Consequences of Assassination

Author

Listed:
  • Zaryab Iqbal

    (Department of Political Science, Pennsylvania State University, iqbal@psu.edu)

  • Christopher Zorn

    (Department of Political Science, Pennsylvania State University)

Abstract

The assassination of a political leader is among the highest-profile acts of political violence, and conventional wisdom holds that such events often have substantial political, social, and economic effects on states. We investigate the extent to which the assassination of a head of state affects political stability through an analysis of all assassinations of heads of state between 1952 and 1997. We examine the political consequences of assassination by assessing the levels of political unrest, instability, and civil war in states that experience the assassination of their head of state. Our findings support the existence of an interactive relationship among assassination, leadership succession, and political turmoil: in particular, we find that assassinations' effects on political instability are greatest in systems in which the process of leadership succession is informal and unregulated.

Suggested Citation

  • Zaryab Iqbal & Christopher Zorn, 2008. "The Political Consequences of Assassination," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 52(3), pages 385-400, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:jocore:v:52:y:2008:i:3:p:385-400
    DOI: 10.1177/0022002707310855
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Benjamin F. Jones & Benjamin A. Olken, 2009. "Hit or Miss? The Effect of Assassinations on Institutions and War," American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 1(2), pages 55-87, July.
    4. Asaf Zussman & Noam Zussman, 2006. "Assassinations: Evaluating the Effectiveness of an Israeli Counterterrorism Policy Using Stock Market Data," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 20(2), pages 193-206, Spring.
    5. Esaiasson, Peter & Granberg, Donald, 1996. "Attitudes Towards a Fallen Leader: Evaluations of Olof Palme Before and After the Assassination," British Journal of Political Science, Cambridge University Press, vol. 26(3), pages 429-439, July.
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    Cited by:

    1. Benno Torgler & Bruno Frey, 2013. "Politicians: be killed or survive," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 156(1), pages 357-386, July.
    2. Alexander Baturo, 2016. "Cursus Honorum: Personal Background, Careers and Experience of Political Leaders in Democracy and Dictatorship—New Data and Analyses," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 4(2), pages 138-157.

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