Inequality, Corruption and Support for Democracy

Lourdes ROJAS Rubio ()
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Lourdes ROJAS Rubio: Université de Cergy-Pontoise, THEMA

No 2022-20, THEMA Working Papers from THEMA (THéorie Economique, Modélisation et Applications), Université de Cergy-Pontoise

Abstract: Do inequality and corruption erode support for democracy? Scholars have long theorised that long-term experience with a political system influences its support. However, the empirical evidence provided is weak. This study examines the effect of inequality and corruption on support for democracy in 119 countries over 30 years. It shows that inequality and corruption have a negative effect on support for democracy. These findings highlight the importance of inequality and corruption as determinants of support for democracy. Furthermore, this article investigates whether the effect of inequality on support for democracy differs between autocratic and democratic countries. It found a positive effect of inequality on support for democracy in autocratic countries. This empirical evidence suggests that the negative effect of inequality on support for democracy comes from long-term experience with a political system that has continually failed to accomplish its principles. The results are robust to different measures of inequality and corruption.

Keywords: Inequality; corruption; political culture; democracy; support for democracy. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C23 C26 D31 D63 D73 H11 Z10 Z18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-pol
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ema:worpap:2022-20

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