Forbidden Fruits: The Political Economy of Science, Religion, and Growth

Roland Benabou, Davide Ticchi () and Andrea Vindigni

The Review of Economic Studies, 2022, vol. 89, issue 4, 1785-1832

Abstract: We study the co-evolution of religion, science, and politics. We first uncover, in international and U.S. data, a robust negative relationship between religiosity and patents per capita. The model then combines: (1) scientific discoveries that raise productivity but sometimes erode religious beliefs; (2) a government that allows innovations to diffuse, or blocks them; (3) religious institutions that can invest in doctrinal reform. Three long-term outcomes emerge. The “Western-European Secularization” regime has declining religiosity, unimpeded science, and high taxes and transfers. The “Theocratic” regime involves knowledge stagnation, unquestioned dogma, and high religious-public-goods spending. The “American” regime combines scientific progress and stable religiosity through doctrinal adaptations, with low taxes and some fiscal-legal advantages for religious activities. Rising income inequality can, however, empower a Religious-Right alliance that starts blocking belief-eroding ideas.

Keywords: Science; Discovery; Innovation; Progress; Knowledge; Religion; Secularization; Tolerance; Religious right; Theocracy; Politics; Populism; Denialism; Inequality; Redistribution; E02; H11; H41; O3; O43; P16; Z12 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (19)

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Related works:
Working Paper: Forbidden Fruits: The Political Economy of Science, Religion, and Growth (2020)
Working Paper: Forbidden Fruits: The Political Economy of Science, Religion, and Growth (2015)
Working Paper: Forbidden Fruits: The Political Economy of Science, Religion, and Growth (2015)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:oup:restud:v:89:y:2022:i:4:p:1785-1832.

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