Zero-Sum Environments, the Evolution of Effort-Suppressing Beliefs, and Economic Development

Augustin Bergeron, Jean-Paul Carvalho, Joseph Henrich, Nathan Nunn and Jonathan L. Weigel

No 31663, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: We study the evolution of belief systems that suppress productive effort, such as beliefs about envy, witchcraft, the importance of luck for success, or disdain for competitive effort. In our framework, demotivating beliefs evolve when interactions are zero-sum, i.e., one person’s gain comes at the expense of others. They improve material welfare, although they tend to reduce subjective well-being. The model delivers predictions about the relationship between the degree of zero-sumness, demotivating beliefs, material welfare, and subjective well-being. We find that the predictions are supported by data from three samples in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as global evidence from the World Values Survey and the European Values Study.

JEL-codes: N10 O10 Q55 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023-09
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-evo and nep-his
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