scholarly journals Does democracy guarantee (de)forestation? An empirical analysis

2017 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 97-121 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anders Rydning Gaarder ◽  
Krishna C Vadlamannati

It is a commonly held view that democracy is better at safeguarding environment while autocracy is predatory in nature, and is thus insensitive towards environment. However, others argue that democracy leads to environmental degradation. We revisit this contentious relationship between regime type and environment degradation in the context of deforestation. Using panel data on 139 countries during the 1990–2012 period, we find that democracy is associated with lower levels of forest coverage. Although our results appear counter-intuitive, further analyses reveal the positive effect of democracy on forest area coverage is conditional upon the level of economic development. Roughly, at per capita income of about US$8200, the impact of democracy on forest coverage becomes positive. Our results suggest that a democratic government’s priority to tackle environmental problems depends on its level of economic development. These results also highlight the fundamental reason as to why there is a lack of coordinated effort between developing and developed countries in addressing environmental issues.

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 31
Author(s):  
Rewat Thamma-Apiroam

This study aims at testing the causal relationship between human capital via the government spending share on education and economic growth using cross-country evidence and investigating the relationship pattern between such human capital – growth and the level of economic development based on 30 country data. The study employs a standard approach through uniting root test and Granger causality test. The data is annually collected during the periods 1983 – 2012, totaling to 30 observations. The finding indicates that for both developing and developed countries, education human capital cannot explain much the economic growth and vice versa. In addition, from the relationship pattern between human capital – growth and the economic development level neutrality is the most commonly found pattern for both developing and developed countries. However, we see somewhat difference between them in terms of causation running from growth to human capital. That is, the number of developed countries is almost double as compared to the developing ones. This gives rise to a policy implication for developed countries in that it should put more emphasis on the government education spending share to GDP since it can help boost human capital in the long run.


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
pp. 711-727
Author(s):  
Daniel Stockemer ◽  
Steffen Kailitz

Modernization theory is one of the most influential theories in political science. However, to date, studies testing the impact of modernization on political regimes have almost completely focused on democracies. We aim at broadening the discussion to autocracies and ask the following research question: What impact has economic development on the survival of different types of autocracy? Using data covering 1946 to 2016, we ascertain – mainly through logistic regression analysis – that the level of economic development affects not only the endurance of democracies but also that of various types of autocracy. In more detail, we find that economic development prolongs the survival of ideocracies and personalist autocracies. The effect of economic modernization on military dictatorships, monarchies and electoral autocracies is very limited. In contrast, one party autocracies are the only regime type whose survival chances (moderately) decrease with modernization.


2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 167-188
Author(s):  
Milojko Arsić

The paper investigates the impact of the history of statehood, as a part of historical heritage, on the current level of economic development of countries. The history of statehood affects the efficiency of the state in performing functions that are important for the functioning of the economy and its progress, such as the quality of institutions, economic policy, education, infrastructure, etc. Empirical research mainly supports the existence of a link between the length of statehood of countries and their level of economic development in the form of an inverted letter "U", which means that the most developed countries have "medium" length of statehood. Countries with "medium" length of statehood could learn from the mistakes of older states, and had enough time to build state capacities. The connection between the history of statehood and the level of economic development of countries is stronger if statehood is measured on the basis of the history of statehood of the population inhabiting present countries, rather than on the basis of the history of statehood in modern countries. This result is consistent with empirical research according to which social norms and forms of behavior that are important for the functioning of the state are relatively stable over time.


2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-14
Author(s):  
Shenyu Li ◽  
Rong Huang ◽  
Siva K. Balasubramanian

Purpose: This article proposes and empirically tests the country of market (COMK) effect, which captures the consumer’s responses of home market to a country where the product is marketed. Design/methodology/approach: Study 1 applies a lab experiment about Chinese consumers’ purchase intention for printers marketed either in the US or China. Study 2 applies country level data to examine the impact of economic development of 22 host countries on the performance of 167 multinational retailers in their home country. Findings: Study 1 shows that the printers marketed in US attract a higher level of purchase intention than printers marketed in China. This COMK effect is more salient for printers manufactured in China than those manufactured in US. In addition, innovation and design factors corresponding to the host country’s image fully mediate the COMK effect. Results in Study 2 show that a retailer that markets its services in a host country with a higher (lower) level of economic development is likely to generate higher (lower) level of retailing performance in its home country. Furthermore, it is found that COMK effect is diminished as the level of economic development of a vendor’s home country increases. Research limitations/implications: In addition to the cognitive components of country image (e.g., design and innovation), consumers’ affective components may also influence the COMK effect. Future research could discuss the impact of consumer ethnocentrism and consumer animosity on consumers’ attitude towards the product marketed in other countries. Practical implications: Strategically, marketing products to a country with a favorable image could benefit vendors from an emerging economy. For manufacturers from developed countries, marketing a product within their own countries may enhance the associated innovation and design images while marketing the same product in an emerging market. Originality/value: This article proposes and tests a demand side country effect on consumers’ purchase intention for products marketed in other countries. It is in sharp contrast to the traditional country effect which focuses on the supply side effect (e.g., country of origin, country of manufacture, country of assembly etc.)


2019 ◽  
pp. 128-134
Author(s):  
Ksenia V. Bagmet

The article provides an empirical test of the hypothesis of the influence of the level of economic development of the country on the level of development of its social capital based on panel data analysis. In this study, the Indices of Social Development elaborated by the International Institute of Social Studies under World Bank support are used as an indicators of social capital development as they best meet the requirements for complexity (include six integrated indicators of Civic Activism, Clubs and Associations, Intergroup Cohesion, Interpersonal Safety and Trust, Gender Equality, Inclusion of Minorities), comprehensiveness of measurement, sustainability. In order to provide an empirical analysis, we built a panel that includes data for 20 countries divided into four groups according to the level of economic development. The first G7 countries (France, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom); the second group is the economically developed countries, EU members and Turkey, the third group is the new EU member states (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania); to the fourth group – post-Soviet republics (Armenia, Georgia, Russian Federation, Ukraine). The analysis shows that the parameters of economic development of countries cannot be completely excluded from the determinants of social capital. Indicators show that the slowdown in economic growth leads to greater cohesion among people in communities, social control over the efficiency of distribution and use of funds, and enforcement of property rights. The level of tolerance to racial diversity and the likelihood of negative externalities will depend on the change in the rate of economic growth. Also, increasing the well-being of people will have a positive impact on the level of citizens’ personal safety, reducing the level of crime, increasing trust. Key words: social capital, economic growth, determinant, indice of social development.


Societies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 22
Author(s):  
Andrea Čajková ◽  
Peter Čajka

Like many developed countries in the world, China currently faces many serious demographic challenges that pose a potential risk to the country’s socio-economic development and stability. The current demographic development and trend is characterized by a change in the reproductive behavior of the population, characterized by a decline in birth rates, a change in family behavior, and a shift in the value system. This paper is aimed at identifying the impact of population policy and the degree of its influence on both the economic and social system of the country. Based on a deterministic approach, the findings reveal and demonstrate the serious demographic challenges facing China, and we are noting that there is no guarantee that parametric adjustments, such as shifting the retirement age, will de facto ensure the financial health of the pension system by preventing bankruptcy. We point out the risks and prospects for the sustainability of China’s socio-economic development based on an analysis of past and current Chinese demographic policy.


Author(s):  
Yuyu Liu ◽  
Duan Ji ◽  
Lin Zhang ◽  
Jingjing An ◽  
Wenyan Sun

Agricultural technology innovation is key for improving productivity, sustainability, and resilience in food production and agriculture to contribute to public health. Using panel data of 31 provinces in China from 2003 to 2015, this study examines the impact of rural financial development on agricultural technology innovation from the perspective of rural financial scale and rural finance efficiency. Furthermore, it examines how the effects of rural financial development vary in regions with different levels of marketization and economic development. The empirical results show that the development of rural finance has a significant and positive effect on the level of agricultural technology innovation. Rural finance efficiency has a significantly positive effect on innovation in regions with a low degree of marketization, while the rural financial scale has a significantly positive effect on technological innovation in regions with a high degree of marketization. Further analysis showed that improving the level of agricultural technology innovation is conducive to rural economic development. This study provides new insights into the effects of rural financial development on sustainable agricultural development from the perspective of agricultural technology innovation.


2017 ◽  
Vol 53 (4) ◽  
pp. 9-26
Author(s):  
Hailun Zhang ◽  
Sheng Xu

AbstractThe research measures the driving force of innovation in economic structure transition. In order to change the pattern of economic development, China is implementing a strategy of innovation-driven development. China’s capacity of innovation has been increasing, especially since 2012, and China’s innovations have taken a leap-forward development. Nowadays, innovation has become a main driving force in China’s economic development and hi-tech industries particularly make a great contribution. Although China’s tertiary industry has been dominant and its share in three industrial sectors has been exceeding 50% since 2015, a problem still exists in China’s economy that the proportions of primary and secondary industries are relatively higher compared with developed countries. In this paper we use PLSR model to measure the impact of innovation on China’s economic structure transition. It is found that innovation can expand the tertiary industry through shrinking the proportions of primary and secondary industries, transforming China’s economic structure into a more advanced pattern. Additionally, China is also devoting itself to the “Belt and Road Initiative”, which should be combined with China’s domestic innovation-driven development and realize sustainable development of economy worldwide.


2015 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 332-356 ◽  
Author(s):  
JOHN HÖGSTRÖM

AbstractIt has been argued that economic development and democracy create new opportunities and resources for women to access political power, which should increase gender equality in politics. However, empirical evidence from previous research that supports this argument is mixed. The contribution of this study is to expand the research on gender equality in politics through an in-depth examination of the effect of development and democracy on gender equality in cabinets. This has been completed through separate analyses that include most of the countries in the world across three levels of development (least-developed, developing, and developed) and across different types of political regimes (democracies, royal dictatorships, military dictatorships, and civilian dictatorships). The results demonstrate that economic development and democracy only affect gender equality in cabinets positively in a few environments. Accordingly, the context is important and there seem to be thresholds before development and democracy have any effect. Development has a positive effect in developed countries and in democracies, but it has a negative effect in dictatorships, and the negative effect is strongest in military dictatorships. The level of democracy has a positive effect mainly in dictatorships, and the strongest effect is in civilian dictatorships. The article demonstrates the importance of dividing samples into subsets to increase understanding of what affects women's representation in cabinets in different environments, and I ask scholars to subset samples and run separate analyses more often in comparative studies.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 100-104
Author(s):  
Liudmyla Tsymbal

The article identifies the key conceptual foundations for the formation of intellectual leadership of economic entities, including countries as specific actors in the global economy. Thorough preconditions for increasing the level of economic development and the impact of education have been identified. It is determined that historical concepts and modern realities of economic activity only actualize the role of education and enlightenment in the economic development of the national economy and ensuring its competitiveness. The strategies of increasing the competitiveness of individual countries of the world are analyzed, their key priorities in the conditions of formation of the knowledge economy are determined. The evolution of views on the role of human and intellectual capital in increasing the welfare of countries, the impact on GDP and other macroeconomic indicators is described. The ratings of countries are analyzed, in particular by the level of investment in intellectual capital and the structure of their GDP, which confirms the dominance of science-intensive economic activities. In addition, it was determined that the leading countries are characterized by increasing the role of knowledge-intensive activities, increasing the share of intangible assets, redistribution of capital of leading international companies and increasing research spending, increasing investment in human and intellectual capital, increasing exports of high-tech products. Analytical assessment confirms the advanced development of science-intensive industries in countries with developed economies, which creates the need for training and retraining of specialists needed for such industries. In modern conditions, the educational process ceases to be predominantly the prerogative of young people, and becomes a lifelong process, which increases spending on education in developed countries, but without denying the significant asymmetries on this indicator. Research confirms the direct relationship between the quality of human and physical capital and economic development, which is typical of highly developed countries, one of the main reasons for the development lag of the poorest countries. In addition, the article substantiates the key factors of intellectual leadership and their impact on the development of economic development strategies.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document