Do Social Rights Affect Social Outcomes?

52 Pages Posted: 10 Sep 2013

See all articles by Christian Bjørnskov

Christian Bjørnskov

Aarhus University - Department of Economics and Business; Research Institute of Industrial Economics (IFN); Center for Political Studies; Institute for Corruption Studies

Jacob Mchangama

The Freedom Rights Project - Center for Political Studies

Date Written: September 9, 2013

Abstract

While the United Nations and NGOs are pushing for global judicialization of economic, social and cultural rights (ESCRs), little is known of their consequences. We provide evidence of the effects of introducing three types of ESCRs into the Constitution: the rights to education, health and social security. Employing a large panel covering annual data from 160 countries in the period 1960-2010, we find no robust evidence of positive effects of ESCRs. We do, however, document adverse medium-term effects on education and inflation.

Keywords: human rights, human development, constitutional political economy

JEL Classification: K19, H11, O11

Suggested Citation

Bjørnskov, Christian and Mchangama, Jacob, Do Social Rights Affect Social Outcomes? (September 9, 2013). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2323539 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2323539

Christian Bjørnskov (Contact Author)

Aarhus University - Department of Economics and Business ( email )

Fuglesangs Allé 4
Aarhus V, DK-8210
Denmark

Research Institute of Industrial Economics (IFN) ( email )

Box 55665
Grevgatan 34, 2nd floor
Stockholm, SE-102 15
Sweden

Center for Political Studies

Landgreven 3
Copenhagen K, DK-1301
Denmark

Institute for Corruption Studies

Stevenson Hall 425
Normal, IL 61790-4200
United States

Jacob Mchangama

The Freedom Rights Project - Center for Political Studies ( email )

Landgreven 3
Copenhagen K, DK-1301
Denmark

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