Fractionalization

66 Pages Posted: 20 Jul 2002

See all articles by Alberto F. Alesina

Alberto F. Alesina

Harvard University - Department of Economics; Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR); National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

William Easterly

New York University - Department of Economics

Arnaud Devleeschauwer

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Sergio Kurlat

World Bank

Romain T. Wacziarg

UCLA Anderson School of Management; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: June 2002

Abstract

We provide new measures of ethnic, linguistic and religious fractionalization for about 190 countries. These measures are more comprehensive than those previously used in the economics literature and we compare our new variables with those previously used. We also revisit the question of the effects of ethnic, linguistic and religious fractionalization on quality of institutions and growth. We partly confirm and partly modify previous results. The patterns of cross-correlations between potential explanatory variables and their different degree of endogeneity makes it hard to make unqualified statements about competing explanations for economic growth and the quality of government.

Suggested Citation

Alesina, Alberto F. and Easterly, William and Devleeschauwer, Arnaud and Kurlat, Sergio and Wacziarg, Romain T., Fractionalization (June 2002). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=319762 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.319762

Alberto F. Alesina (Contact Author)

Harvard University - Department of Economics ( email )

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Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

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William Easterly

New York University - Department of Economics ( email )

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Arnaud Devleeschauwer

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Sergio Kurlat

World Bank ( email )

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Romain T. Wacziarg

UCLA Anderson School of Management ( email )

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National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) ( email )

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