More than Money: The Political Consequences of Reparations

Elsa Voytas

American Political Science Review, 2026, vol. 120, issue 3, _3

Abstract: Can material reparations change political participation? To examine whether material reparations can increase political engagement among survivors of state violence, I use content analysis of survivor testimonies, interviews, and plausibly exogenous variation in the timing of reparations approval for surviving victims of the Pinochet dictatorship in Chile. After being approved for reparations, survivors are more likely to register to vote compared to those not yet enrolled in the reparations program. I present evidence that the symbolic value of reparations payments holds particular significance for survivors and suggest that the transitional justice experience provides an opportunity for them to revise their views of the state. These findings indicate that in post-violence contexts, policy experiences can be a consequential determinant of future political behavior, potentially expanding electoral engagement as societies move toward building peace and consolidating democracy.

Date: 2026
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