C[omp]ute

From: andrew cooke <andrew@...>

Date: Tue, 6 Oct 2009 13:52:18 -0400

http://papers.nber.org/papers/w12128.pdf

From http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/06/what-happened-to-argentina/

Abstract - Across countries, education and democracy are highly
correlated. We motivate empirically and then model a causal mechanism
explaining this correlation. In our model, schooling teaches people to
interact with others and raises the benefits of civic participation,
including voting and organizing. In the battle between democracy and
dictatorship, democracy has a wide potential base of support but
offers weak incentives to its defenders. Dictatorship provides
stronger incentives to a narrower base. As education raises the
benefits of civic participation, it raises the support for more
democratic regimes relative to dictatorships. This increases the
likelihood of democratic revolutions against dictatorships, and
reduces that of successful anti-democratic coups.

Andrew