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Do Tolerant Societies Demand Better Institutions?

Author

Listed:
  • Eva Mª Buitrago

    () (Universidad de Sevilla)

  • Mª Ángeles Caraballo

    () (Universidad de Sevilla)

  • José L. Roldán

    () (Universidad de Sevilla)

Abstract

The increasing ethnic heterogeneity that many societies are experiencing could be interpreted as a detrimental phenomenon, since empirical literature exists that indicates that higher levels of ethnic fractionalization induce higher levels of corruption. This paper aims to show the role of tolerance in overcoming this harmful effect of ethnic heterogeneity. To this end, a sample of 86 countries is tested for a positive association between ethnic fractionalization and corruption. It is then shown that tolerance offsets this effect through both direct and indirect effects on corruption. In order to analyse the indirect effects, the level of income and the freedom of the press are selected as channels, since these represent two determinants of corruption that are linked to tolerance. Moreover, tolerance and corruption have been modelled as composites. Consequently, partial least squares path modelling has been used. For our sample, an index of tolerance towards immigrants and people of different race and an index of corruption are constructed, for which several sources are jointly utilised. Our results appear to indicate that the adverse effect of ethnic fractionalization on corruption is offset by tolerance, which reduces corruption not only directly but also indirectly through the level of income and the freedom of the press.

Suggested Citation

  • Eva Mª Buitrago & Mª Ángeles Caraballo & José L. Roldán, 2019. "Do Tolerant Societies Demand Better Institutions?," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 143(3), pages 1161-1184, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:143:y:2019:i:3:d:10.1007_s11205-018-2002-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s11205-018-2002-4
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Mª Ángeles Caraballo & Eva Mª Buitrago, 2019. "Ethnolinguistic Diversity and Education. A Successful Pairing," Sustainability, MDPI, Open Access Journal, vol. 11(23), pages 1-1, November.
    2. Yuriy Bilan & Halyna Mishchuk & Natalia Samoliuk & Halyna Yurchyk, 2020. "Impact of Income Distribution on Social and Economic Well-Being of the State," Sustainability, MDPI, Open Access Journal, vol. 12(1), pages 1-1, January.

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