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Democracy, commodity price booms, and infant mortality

Author

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  • Germán Bet

    (University of Florida)

  • Cecilia Peluffo

    (University of Florida)

Abstract

We examine whether commodity price booms affect infant mortality differently according to a country’s democratic status. Using data for 171 countries over the period 1962–2010, we estimate dynamic panel models for infant mortality and use alternative approaches to control for the potential endogeneity of a country’s democratic status. We find that upon experiencing a commodity price boom, democracies are able to achieve significant reductions in infant mortality rates (by approximately 0.15% on average), whereas non-democracies are not.

Suggested Citation

  • Germán Bet & Cecilia Peluffo, 2023. "Democracy, commodity price booms, and infant mortality," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 64(1), pages 153-193, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:empeco:v:64:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1007_s00181-022-02251-3
    DOI: 10.1007/s00181-022-02251-3
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Infant mortality; Democracy; Commodity prices; Economic development;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development
    • F63 - International Economics - - Economic Impacts of Globalization - - - Economic Development
    • O11 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • O43 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Institutions and Growth

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