IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/wdevel/v180y2024ics0305750x24000950.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Beyond Diversity: The Role of State Capacity in Fostering Social Cohesion in Brazil

Author

Listed:
  • Kustov, Alexander
  • Pardelli, Giuliana

Abstract

A long-standing scholarship argues that greater ethnic diversity harms social cohesion. However, recent research also suggests that these outcomes are primarily influenced by the strength of state institutions. We evaluate these arguments using new geocoded historical data from Brazilian municipalities. Our initial analysis confirms that local racial diversity is negatively associated with social cohesion indicators such as trust, civic participation, belonging, turnout, and crime. Nonetheless, further analysis indicates that this relationship cannot be directly attributed to the effects of diversity, but rather hinges on the concentration of historically (dis)advantaged racial groups within particular areas. Finally, we demonstrate that both the spatial distribution of these groups and current levels of social cohesion are linked to past state capacity across municipalities. These results suggest that local social cohesion is more strongly associated with the historical development of state institutions across the national territory than with their contemporary levels of racial diversity.

Suggested Citation

  • Kustov, Alexander & Pardelli, Giuliana, 2024. "Beyond Diversity: The Role of State Capacity in Fostering Social Cohesion in Brazil," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:180:y:2024:i:c:s0305750x24000950
    DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2024.106625
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0305750X24000950
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.worlddev.2024.106625?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jan Janmaat, 2011. "Social Cohesion as a Real-life Phenomenon: Assessing the Explanatory Power of the Universalist and Particularist Perspectives," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 100(1), pages 61-83, January.
    2. Stelios Michalopoulos, 2012. "The Origins of Ethnolinguistic Diversity," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 102(4), pages 1508-1539, June.
    3. Dincecco,Mark, 2013. "Political Transformations and Public Finances," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9781107617759.
    4. Henry Farrell & Jack Knight, 2003. "Trust, Institutions, and Institutional Change: Industrial Districts and the Social Capital Hypothesis," Politics & Society, , vol. 31(4), pages 537-566, December.
    5. Robert H. Bates & Da-Hsiang Donald Lien, 1985. "A Note on Taxation, Development, and Representative Government," Politics & Society, , vol. 14(1), pages 53-70, March.
    6. Blaine Robbins, 2012. "Institutional Quality and Generalized Trust: A Nonrecursive Causal Model," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 107(2), pages 235-258, June.
    7. Jan Janmaat, 2011. "Erratum to: Social Cohesion as a Real-Life Phenomenon: Assessing the Explanatory Power of the Universalist and Particularist Perspectives," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 100(2), pages 369-369, January.
    8. Klaus Desmet & Ignacio Ortuño-Ortín & Shlomo Weber, 2009. "Linguistic Diversity and Redistribution," Journal of the European Economic Association, MIT Press, vol. 7(6), pages 1291-1318, December.
    9. Leopoldo Fergusson & Horacio Larreguy & Juan Felipe Riaño, 2022. "Political Competition and State Capacity: Evidence from a Land Allocation Program in Mexico," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 132(648), pages 2815-2834.
    10. North, Douglass C. & Weingast, Barry R., 1989. "Constitutions and Commitment: The Evolution of Institutions Governing Public Choice in Seventeenth-Century England," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 49(4), pages 803-832, December.
    11. Joseph Chan & Ho-Pong To & Elaine Chan, 2006. "Reconsidering Social Cohesion: Developing a Definition and Analytical Framework for Empirical Research," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 75(2), pages 273-302, January.
    12. Melissa Dell & Nathan Lane & Pablo Querubin, 2018. "The Historical State, Local Collective Action, and Economic Development in Vietnam," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 86(6), pages 2083-2121, November.
    13. Natalia Letki, 2008. "Does Diversity Erode Social Cohesion? Social Capital and Race in British Neighbourhoods," Political Studies, Political Studies Association, vol. 56, pages 99-126, March.
    14. Dietlind Stolle & Stuart Soroka & Richard Johnston, 2008. "When Does Diversity Erode Trust? Neighborhood Diversity, Interpersonal Trust and the Mediating Effect of Social Interactions," Political Studies, Political Studies Association, vol. 56(1), pages 57-75, March.
    15. Alberto Alesina & Eliana La Ferrara, 2003. "Ethnic Diversity and Economic Performance," Harvard Institute of Economic Research Working Papers 2028, Harvard - Institute of Economic Research.
    16. Kustov, Alexander & Pardelli, Giuliana, 2018. "Ethnoracial Homogeneity and Public Outcomes: The (Non)effects of Diversity," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 112(4), pages 1096-1103, November.
    17. Albert O. Hirschman & Michael Rothschild, 1973. "The Changing Tolerance for Income Inequality in the Course of Economic DevelopmentWith A Mathematical Appendix," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 87(4), pages 544-566.
    18. Williams, Martin J., 2021. "Beyond state capacity: bureaucratic performance, policy implementation and reform," Journal of Institutional Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 17(2), pages 339-357, April.
    19. Cingolani L, 2013. "The State of State Capacity : a review of concepts, evidence and measures," MERIT Working Papers 2013-053, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    20. John Ferejohn, 1986. "Incumbent performance and electoral control," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 50(1), pages 5-25, January.
    21. Garfias, Francisco, 2018. "Elite Competition and State Capacity Development: Theory and Evidence from Post-Revolutionary Mexico," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 112(2), pages 339-357, May.
    22. Naritomi, Joana & Soares, Rodrigo R. & Assunção, Juliano J., 2012. "Institutional Development and Colonial Heritage within Brazil," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 72(2), pages 393-422, May.
    23. Abramson, Scott F & Carter, David B. & Ying, Luwei, 2022. "Historical Border Changes, State Building, and Contemporary Trust in Europe," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 116(3), pages 875-895, August.
    24. Gachter, Simon & Herrmann, Benedikt & Thoni, Christian, 2004. "Trust, voluntary cooperation, and socio-economic background: survey and experimental evidence," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 55(4), pages 505-531, December.
    25. Tarrow, Sidney, 1996. "Making Social Science Work Across Space and Time: A Critical Reflection on Robert Putnam's Making Democracy Work," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 90(2), pages 389-397, June.
    26. Gisselquist, Rachel M. & Leiderer, Stefan & Niño-Zarazúa, Miguel, 2016. "Ethnic Heterogeneity and Public Goods Provision in Zambia: Evidence of a Subnational “Diversity Dividend”," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 308-323.
    27. Natalia Letki, 2008. "Does Diversity Erode Social Cohesion? Social Capital and Race in British Neighbourhoods," Political Studies, Political Studies Association, vol. 56(1), pages 99-126, March.
    28. Francisco Herreros, 2008. "The State and the Creation of an Environment for the Growing of Trust," Rationality and Society, , vol. 20(4), pages 497-521, November.
    29. Suryanarayan, Pavithra & White, Steven, 2021. "Slavery, Reconstruction, and Bureaucratic Capacity in the American South," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 115(2), pages 568-584, May.
    30. Dietlind Stolle & Stuart Soroka & Richard Johnston, 2008. "When Does Diversity Erode Trust? Neighborhood Diversity, Interpersonal Trust and the Mediating Effect of Social Interactions," Political Studies, Political Studies Association, vol. 56, pages 57-75, March.
    31. Irene van Staveren & Zahid Pervaiz, 2017. "Is it Ethnic Fractionalization or Social Exclusion, Which Affects Social Cohesion?," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 130(2), pages 711-731, January.
    32. David Schiefer & Jolanda Noll, 2017. "The Essentials of Social Cohesion: A Literature Review," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 132(2), pages 579-603, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Irene van Staveren & Zahid Pervaiz, 2017. "Is it Ethnic Fractionalization or Social Exclusion, Which Affects Social Cohesion?," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 130(2), pages 711-731, January.
    2. Esteban Muñoz-Sobrado & Amedeo Piolatto & Antoine Zerbini & Federica Braccioli, 2024. "The Taxing Challenges of the State: Unveiling the Role of Fiscal & Administrative Capacity in Development," Working Papers 1432, Barcelona School of Economics.
    3. Sarah McKenna & Eunro Lee & Kathleen A Klik & Andrew Markus & Miles Hewstone & Katherine J Reynolds, 2018. "Are diverse societies less cohesive? Testing contact and mediated contact theories," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(3), pages 1-21, March.
    4. Cao, Jiyin & Galinsky, Adam D., 2020. "The Diversity-Uncertainty-Valence (DUV) model of generalized trust development," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 49-64.
    5. David Schiefer & Jolanda Noll, 2017. "The Essentials of Social Cohesion: A Literature Review," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 132(2), pages 579-603, June.
    6. van Staveren, I.P. & Pervaiz, Z. & Chaudhary, A.R., 2013. "Diversity, Inclusiveness and Social Cohesion," ISD Working Paper Series 2013-1, International Institute of Social Studies of Erasmus University Rotterdam (ISS), The Hague.
    7. Shahla Akram & Zahid Pervaiz, 2024. "The role of institutions and social inclusion in trust building," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 58(4), pages 3887-3903, August.
    8. Salomon, Katja, 2020. "Dynamics of immigrant resentment in Europe," Discussion Papers, Presidential Department P 2020-002, WZB Berlin Social Science Center.
    9. Antti Kouvo & Carita Lockmer, 2013. "Imagine all the Neighbours: Perceived Neighbourhood Ethnicity, Interethnic Friendship Ties and Perceived Ethnic Threat in Four Nordic Countries," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 50(16), pages 3305-3322, December.
    10. Bujar Aruqaj, 2023. "An Integrated Approach to the Conceptualisation and Measurement of Social Cohesion," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 168(1), pages 227-263, August.
    11. Abdoulaye Diop & Yaojun Li & Majed Mohammmed H. A. Al-Ansari & Kien T. Le, 2017. "Social Capital and Citizens’ Attitudes towards Migrant Workers," Social Inclusion, Cogitatio Press, vol. 5(1), pages 66-79.
    12. Abdoulaye Diop & Ashley E. Jardina & Mark Tessler & Jill Wittrock, 2017. "Antecedents of Trust among Citizens and Non-citizens in Qatar," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 18(1), pages 183-202, February.
    13. Hiroshi Murayama & Reiko Arami & Tomoko Wakui & Ikuko Sugawara & Satoru Yoshie, 2014. "Cross-level interaction between individual and neighbourhood socioeconomic status in relation to social trust in a Japanese community," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 51(13), pages 2770-2786, October.
    14. Gershman, Boris & Rivera, Diego, 2018. "Subnational diversity in Sub-Saharan Africa: Insights from a new dataset," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 231-263.
    15. Eva M. Buitrago & M. Ángeles Caraballo, 2022. "Measuring social diversity in economic literature: An overview for cross‐country studies," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(4), pages 880-934, September.
    16. Bove, Vincenzo & Elia, Leandro, 2017. "Migration, Diversity, and Economic Growth," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 227-239.
    17. Uslaner, Eric, 2011. "Contact, Diversity, and Segregation," SULCIS Working Papers 2011:5, Stockholm University, Linnaeus Center for Integration Studies - SULCIS.
    18. Christian Bjørnskov, 2012. "On the determinants of honesty perceptions in the United States," Rationality and Society, , vol. 24(3), pages 257-294, August.
    19. Anne Marie Jeannet, 2017. "Political Distrust in Europe: the Impact of Immigration and the Global Economic Crisis," Working Papers 102, "Carlo F. Dondena" Centre for Research on Social Dynamics (DONDENA), Università Commerciale Luigi Bocconi.
    20. Coban, Mustafa, 2017. "I'm fine with Immigrants, but ...: Attitudes, ethnic diversity, and redistribution preference," Discussion Paper Series 137, Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg, Chair of Economic Order and Social Policy.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:180:y:2024:i:c:s0305750x24000950. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/worlddev .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.