Values, Beliefs and Development

Jeffry Jacob () and Thomas Osang ()
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Jeffry Jacob: St. John’s University

No 705, Departmental Working Papers from Southern Methodist University, Department of Economics

Abstract: This paper investigates the consequences of religion for economic development. In particular, we examine whether religious attitudes, beliefs, participation and preference contribute to differences in per capita income across countries. Using a large scale international survey on values and religious behavior, we estimate both cross-section and panel data models, controlling for the “deep determinants” of development: Institutions, geography and trade. Our results indicate that religion plays an important role in economic development, but mostly in a non-linear manner. Countries with moderate religious values and behavior tend to have higher income levels than countries on both ends of the religious spectrum.

Keywords: Development; Economics of Religion; Institutions; Openness; Geography (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O1 Z12 N1 H1 F1 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-dev, nep-pbe and nep-soc
Date: 2007-03
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Persistent link: http://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:smu:ecowpa:705

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