Food prices and political instability

Arbeitspapier

We examine the effects that variations in the international food prices have on democracy and intra-state conflict using panel data for over 120 countries during the period 1970-2007. Our main finding is that in Low Income Countries increases in the international food prices lead to a significant deterioration of democratic institutions and a significant increase in the incidence of anti-government demonstrations, riots, and civil conflict. In the High Income Countries variations in the international food prices have no significant effects on democratic institutions and measures of intra-state conflict. Our empirical results point to a significant externality of variations in international food prices on Low Income Countries' social and political stability.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: CESifo Working Paper ; No. 3544

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth ; Economic Systems: General ; Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics: General
• Subject: food prices ; conflict ; political institutions ; Nahrungsmittelpreis ; Politische Stabilität ; Sozialer Konflikt ; Demokratie ; Niedriglohnländer ; Industriestaaten

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Arezki, Rabah ; Brückner, Markus
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Center for Economic Studies and ifo Institute (CESifo)
• (where): Munich
• (when): 2011

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/49476
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:44 AM CET