Does Income Inequality Lead to Terrorism?

Arbeitspapier

We analyze the effect of income inequality on terrorism for a sample of 114 countries between 1985 and 2012. We provide evidence, robust to various methodological changes (e.g., different dependent variables, instrumental-variable approaches), that higher levels of income inequality are associated with more terrorism. Consistent with relative deprivation theory, we argue that this effect is a direct consequence of frustration over the distribution of income within a society, resulting in terrorism to voice dissent and achieve a redistribution of wealth. Furthermore, we provide evidence of an indirect effect of inequality on terrorism, where inequality may also contribute to terrorism by leading to weaker institutions. Finally, we show that redistributional efforts can be effective in reducing inequality and, consequently, terrorist activity.

Angaben zum Objekt

• Sprache: Englisch

Verweise und Beziehungen

• Erschienen in: Series: CESifo Working Paper ; No. 5821

Klassifikation und Themen

• Klassifikation: Wirtschaft ; Conflict; Conflict Resolution; Alliances; Revolutions ; Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty: Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs ; Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration ; Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models: Instrumental Variables (IV) Estimation
• Thema: income inequality ; terrorism ; Gini coefficient ; relative deprivation ; redistribution

Beteiligte, Orts- und Zeitangaben

• Ereignis: Geistige Schöpfung
• (wer): Krieger, Tim ; Meierrieks, Daniel
• Ereignis: Veröffentlichung
• (wer): Center for Economic Studies and ifo Institute (CESifo)
• (wo): Munich
• (wann): 2016

Weitere Informationen

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/130446
• Letzte Aktualisierung: 10.03.2025, 11:41 MEZ