Individual support for economic and political changes: Evidence from transition countries, 1991-2004

Riccardo Rovelli and Anzelika Zaiceva

Center for Economic Research (RECent) from University of Modena and Reggio E., Dept. of Economics "Marco Biagi"

Abstract: Using a unique dataset, we propose a new measure of public evaluation of transitional reforms and study, for the first time, the evolution of support for economic and political reforms in 14 transition economies over 1991-2004. We show that support for economic changes has been increasing over time after an initial dip, while support for political reforms has generally been higher. Support attitudes are lower among the old, less skilled, unemployed, poor, and those living in the CIS countries, especially during the 1990s. We also find evidence that transition-related hardship, opinions on the speed of reforms, political preferences and preferences towards redistribution, ideology and social capital matter. Finally, we show that preferences for state ownership and the quality of political institutions contribute mostly to explaining the lower levels of support in the CIS countries.

Keywords: political economy; public support; reforms; transition (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A13 O57 P26 P36 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: pages 39
Date: 2011-05
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-pol and nep-tra
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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Working Paper: Individual support for economic and political changes: Evidence from transition countries, 1991-2004 (2011)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:mod:recent:059

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