Working Paper: CEPR ID: DP8288
Authors: Sascha O. Becker; Katrin Boeckh; Christa Hainz; Ludger Woessmann
Abstract: Do empires affect attitudes towards the state long after their demise? We hypothesize that the Habsburg Empire with its localized and well-respected administration increased citizens? trust in local public services. In several Eastern European countries, communities on both sides of the long-gone Habsburg border have been sharing common formal institutions for a century now. Identifying from individuals living within a restricted band around the former border, we find that historical Habsburg affiliation increases current trust and reduces corruption in courts and police. Falsification tests of spuriously moved borders, geographic and pre-existing differences, and interpersonal trust corroborate a genuine Habsburg effect.
Keywords: Borders; Corruption; Habsburg Empire; Institutions; Trust
JEL Codes: D73; N33; N34; Z10
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| trust in local public services (H76) | corruption in local public services (H57) |
| Habsburg affiliation (N93) | trust in local public services (H76) |
| Habsburg affiliation (N93) | corruption in local public services (H57) |