Food Prices, Conflict, and Democratic Change

Rabah Arezki and Markus Brückner

No 2011-04, School of Economics and Public Policy Working Papers from University of Adelaide, School of Economics and Public Policy

Abstract: We examine the effects that variations in the international food prices have on democracy and intra-state conflict using panel data for over 120 countries during the period 1970-2007. Our main finding is that in Low Income Countries increases in the international food prices lead to a significant deterioration of democratic institutions and a significant increase in the incidence of anti-government demonstrations, riots, and civil conflict. In the High Income Countries variations in the international food prices have no significant effects on democratic institutions and measures of intra-state conflict. Our empirical results point to a significant externality of variations in international food prices on Low Income Countries' social and political stability.

Keywords: food prices; conflict; political institutions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: F34 H63 O13 P16 Q33 Q38 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 18 pages
Date: 2011-01
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-agr and nep-pol
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:adl:wpaper:2011-04

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