Working Paper: NBER ID: w16320
Authors: Efraim Benmelech; Claude Berrebi; Esteban F. Klor
Abstract: We analyze the link between economic conditions and the quality of suicide terrorism. While the existing empirical literature shows that poverty and economic conditions are not correlated with the quantity of terror, theory predicts that poverty and poor economic conditions may affect the quality of terror. Poor economic conditions may lead more able, better-educated individuals to participate in terror attacks, allowing terror organizations to send better-qualified terrorists to more complex, higher-impact, terror missions. Using the universe of Palestinian suicide terrorists against Israeli targets between the years 2000 and 2006 we provide evidence on the correlation between economic conditions, the characteristics of suicide terrorists and the targets they attack. High levels of unemployment enable terror organizations to recruit more educated, mature and experienced suicide terrorists who in turn attack more important Israeli targets.
Keywords: suicide terrorism; economic conditions; terrorism quality; Palestinian conflict
JEL Codes: H41; H56; J24; O15
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| Economic conditions (E66) | Quality of suicide terrorism (H84) |
| Higher unemployment rates (J64) | Recruitment of more educated, mature, and experienced suicide terrorists (H56) |
| Higher unemployment rates (J64) | Larger pool of qualified candidates for terror organizations (H56) |
| Higher unemployment (J64) | Targeting of larger populations by suicide terrorists (H56) |
| Economic conditions (E66) | Logistics of attacks (closer to residences) (H56) |
| Economic conditions (E66) | Outcomes of attacks (e.g., casualties) (H56) |