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Income and democracy: the modernization hypothesis re-visited via alternative non-linear models

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  • Suzanna-Maria Paleologou

Abstract

This paper introduces a new approach to examine the relationship between income and democracy by employing panel count data models to explicitly allow for the fact that the primary indices of democracy are non-negative integers with upper bounds. We find evidence that though income and democracy are positively related the magnitude of the coefficient is extremely small implying that there is no evidence of a causal effect, and thus there is no support for the modernization hypothesis. Moreover, once we control for income endogeneity, the relationship between income and democracy turns to be insignificant or even negative. Copyright Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2015

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  • Suzanna-Maria Paleologou, 2015. "Income and democracy: the modernization hypothesis re-visited via alternative non-linear models," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 48(2), pages 909-921, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:empeco:v:48:y:2015:i:2:p:909-921
    DOI: 10.1007/s00181-014-0811-0
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Myint Moe Chit, 2018. "Political openness and the growth of small and medium enterprises: empirical evidence from transition economies," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 55(2), pages 781-804, September.
    2. Katarzyna Iwińska & Athanasios Kampas & Kerry Longhurst, 2019. "Interactions between Democracy and Environmental Quality: Toward a More Nuanced Understanding," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-17, March.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Income; Democracy; Modernization hypothesis; Panel count data models; Endogeneity; C23; D72; E21;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C23 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • E21 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Consumption; Saving; Wealth

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