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Confronting human trafficking: The role of state capacity

Author

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  • Robert G Blanton

    (Department of Political Science and Public Administration, University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA)

  • Shannon Lindsey Blanton

    (Department of Political Science and Public Administration, Honors College, University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA)

  • Dursun Peksen

    (Department of Political Science, The University of Memphis, USA)

Abstract

While human trafficking occupies a prominent place on the global policy agenda, many aspects of this phenomenon remain empirically underdeveloped. We examine the role of state capacity in these illicit supply chains, positing that trafficking flows may persist because even well-intentioned states might lack the requisite capacity to take effective action. Along those lines, we assess the impact of two facets of state capacity, bureaucratic efficacy and fiscal capacity, upon the probability of a country being a source or destination for the two types of human trafficking, forced labor and prostitution. We find that state capacity, particularly fiscal capacity, is significantly related to reduced labor and sex trafficking at both the source and destination levels.

Suggested Citation

  • Robert G Blanton & Shannon Lindsey Blanton & Dursun Peksen, 2020. "Confronting human trafficking: The role of state capacity," Conflict Management and Peace Science, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 37(4), pages 471-489, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:compsc:v:37:y:2020:i:4:p:471-489
    DOI: 10.1177/0738894218789875
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Priscilla Paola Severo & Leonardo B. Furstenau & Michele Kremer Sott & Danielli Cossul & Mariluza Sott Bender & Nicola Luigi Bragazzi, 2021. "Thirty Years of Human Rights Study in the Web of Science Database (1990–2020)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-23, February.
    2. Ali Fisunoglu & Kyungkook Kang & Tad Kugler & Marina Arbetman-Rabinowitz, 2023. "Relative political capacity: A dataset to evaluate the performance of nations, 1960–2018," Conflict Management and Peace Science, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 40(3), pages 325-345, May.

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