Working Paper: NBER ID: w30268
Authors: Paola Giuliano; Bryony Reich; Alessandro Riboni
Abstract: Why do some leaders invest in significant nation-building policies and others do not? Why does nation-building occur at certain junctures in time and not others? In our research, we investigate what motivates leaders to nation build. We argue that threats to their regime motivate rulers to invest in significant nation-building and that the type of threats that provoke nation-building have largely materialized since the 19th century.
Keywords: Nation-Building; Education; Democratization; War
JEL Codes: N0; P16
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| internal threats (democratization) (O17) | nation-building investments (H54) |
| external threats (war) (H56) | nation-building investments (H54) |
| threat of democratization (D72) | implementation of mass education (H52) |
| external military threats (F52) | nation-building investments (H54) |
| threat of war (D74) | investment in public goods and nation-building (H40) |
| political unrest (P26) | mass education reforms (I28) |
| rising democratic pressures (D72) | education reforms (I28) |
| shift from mercenary armies to mass conscription (H56) | need for educated citizenry (I25) |