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Protestantism, Labor Force Participation, and Employment Across Countries

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  • Horst Feldmann

Abstract

. Using data from 80 countries, this article analyzes whether Protestant religion affects labor market outcomes. Controlling for the impact of labor market regulations, business regulations, the tax burden, the business cycle, the level of economic development, demographic and geographical conditions, wars, and the transition from planned to market economy as well as unobserved country and year effects, we find that countries in which the largest portion of the population practices Protestant religion have substantially higher labor force participation and employment rates, particularly among women. We obtain the same result for a subgroup of 19 industrial countries for which we have better data to control for the impact of labor market institutions and business cycle fluctuations.

Suggested Citation

  • Horst Feldmann, 2007. "Protestantism, Labor Force Participation, and Employment Across Countries," American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 66(4), pages 795-816, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:ajecsc:v:66:y:2007:i:4:p:795-816
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1536-7150.2007.00540.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Guiso, Luigi & Sapienza, Paola & Zingales, Luigi, 2003. "People's opium? Religion and economic attitudes," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(1), pages 225-282, January.
    2. Andrea Bassanini & Romain Duval, 2006. "Employment Patterns in OECD Countries: Reassessing the Role of Policies and Institutions," OECD Economics Department Working Papers 486, OECD Publishing.
    3. Stephen Nickell & Luca Nunziata & Wolfgang Ochel, 2005. "Unemployment in the OECD Since the 1960s. What Do We Know?," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 115(500), pages 1-27, January.
    4. Andrea Bassanini & Romain Duval, 2006. "The Determinants of Unemployment across OECD Countries," Post-Print halshs-00120584, HAL.
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    Cited by:

    1. John T. Addison & Orgul Demet Ozturk, 2012. "Minimum Wages, Labor Market Institutions, and Female Employment: A Cross-Country Analysis," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 65(4), pages 779-809, October.
    2. Akyol, Pelin & Ökten, Çağla, 2024. "The role of religion in female labor supply: evidence from two Muslim denominations," Journal of Demographic Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 90(1), pages 116-153, March.
    3. Astghik Mavisakalyan, 2015. "Gender in Language and Gender in Employment," Oxford Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 43(4), pages 403-424, December.
    4. Addison, John T. & Ozturk, Orgul Demet, 2011. "Minimum Wages, Labor Market Institutions, and Female Employment," Economics Series 278, Institute for Advanced Studies.
    5. Jonathan L. Chia & Andree Hartanto, 2021. "Older Adult Employment Status and Well-Being: A Longitudinal Bidirectional Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(23), pages 1-19, November.
    6. Isis Gaddis & Stephan Klasen, 2014. "Economic development, structural change, and women’s labor force participation:," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 27(3), pages 639-681, July.
    7. Miriam Fritzsche, 2024. "De-industrialization, local joblessness and the male-female employment gap," Berlin School of Economics Discussion Papers 0040, Berlin School of Economics.
    8. Astghik Mavisakalyan, 2014. "Women in cabinet and public health spending: evidence across countries," Economics of Governance, Springer, vol. 15(3), pages 281-304, August.
    9. Manuela Stranges, 2022. "The Intergenerational Transmission of Female Labour Force Participation by Gender among Native and Immigrant Europeans: A Focus on Religion," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 43(4), pages 774-798, December.
    10. Fischer, Justina A.V. & Pastore, Francesco, 2015. "Tempora mutantur, nos et mutamur in illis: Religion and Female Employment over Time," IZA Discussion Papers 9244, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    11. Cuneyt KOYUNCU & Eda ÖZEN, 2017. "Religious, Ethnic, Linguistic and Cultural Diversity and Female Labor Force Participation," Journal of Economics Bibliography, KSP Journals, vol. 4(1), pages 87-93, March.
    12. Li, Xinghao & An, Lufeng & Zhang, Dayong & Lee, Chi-Chuan & Yu, Chin-Hsien, 2024. "Energy access and female labor force participation in developing countries," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 199(C).
    13. Casper Hansen & Peter Jensen & Christian Skovsgaard, 2015. "Modern gender roles and agricultural history: the Neolithic inheritance," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 20(4), pages 365-404, December.
    14. Matias Busso & Dario Romero Fonseca, 2015. "Female Labor Force Participation in Latin America: Patterns and Explanations," CEDLAS, Working Papers 0187, CEDLAS, Universidad Nacional de La Plata.
    15. Anja Koebrich Leon, 2013. "Religion and Economic Outcomes – Household Savings Behavior in the USA," Working Paper Series in Economics 268, University of Lüneburg, Institute of Economics.
    16. Modrack, Simone, 2008. "The protestant work ethic revisited: A promising concept or an outdated idea?," Discussion Papers, Research Unit: Labor Market Policy and Employment SP I 2008-101, WZB Berlin Social Science Center.
    17. Petcu Monica & Roman Monica, 2023. "Youth Religiosity: A Bibliometric Coverage and Quantitative Assesemnt of Internal and External Dimensions," Journal of Social and Economic Statistics, Sciendo, vol. 12(1), pages 1-24, July.

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