The Political Legacies of Combat: Attitudes towards war and peace amongst Israeli ex-combatants

Guy Grossman (), Devorah Manekin and Dan Miodownik
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Guy Grossman: University of Pennsylvania
Devorah Manekin: Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Dan Miodownik: Hebrew University of Jerusalem

No 161, HiCN Working Papers from Households in Conflict Network

Abstract: Does combat experience foster hardliner approaches to conflict, diminishing the likelihood of reconciliation? We exploit the assignment of health rankings determining combat eligibility in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to examine the effect of combat exposure on support for peaceful resolution of conflict. Given the centrality of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to global affairs, and with no resolution to the conflict currently in sight, the question of the political consequences of combat becomes all the more pressing. We find that exposure to combat hardens attitudes towards the rival and reduces support for negotiation and compromise. Importantly, these attitudes translate directly into voting behavior, such that combatants are more likely to vote for hardliner parties. These findings cast doubt on research highlighting the benign effects of combat and underscore the importance of combatant reintegration for the transition from conflict to peace.

Pages: 33 pages
Date: 2013-12
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-pol
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