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Do Social Rights Affect Social Outcomes?

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  • Christian Bjørnskov
  • Jacob Mchangama

Abstract

While the United Nations and NGOs are pushing for global judicialization of economic, social, and cultural rights (ESCRs), little is known of their consequences. We provide evidence of the effects of introducing three types of ESCRs into the constitution: the rights to education, health, and social security. Employing a large panel covering annual data from 160 countries in the period 1960–2010, we find no robust evidence of positive effects of ESCRs. We do, however, document adverse medium‐term effects on education, inflation, and civil rights.

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  • Christian Bjørnskov & Jacob Mchangama, 2019. "Do Social Rights Affect Social Outcomes?," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 63(2), pages 452-466, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:amposc:v:63:y:2019:i:2:p:452-466
    DOI: 10.1111/ajps.12421
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    2. Sheryl Ball & Chetan Dave & Stefan Dodds, 2023. "Enumerating rights: more is not always better," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 196(3), pages 403-425, September.
    3. Katarzyna Metelska-Szaniawska & Jacek Lewkowicz, 2021. "Post-socialist “illiberal democracies”: do de jure constitutional rights matter?," Constitutional Political Economy, Springer, vol. 32(2), pages 233-265, June.
    4. Anna Lewczuk, 2021. "Are civil liberties contagious? Analysis of determinants of de facto civil rights protection in post-socialist countries," Constitutional Political Economy, Springer, vol. 32(2), pages 187-217, June.
    5. Bishara, Dina & Jurkovich, Michelle & Berman, Chantal, 2023. "Citizens’ understanding of the social contract: Lessons from Tunisia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    6. Jerg Gutmann & Katarzyna Metelska-Szaniawska & Stefan Voigt, 2024. "The comparative constitutional compliance database," The Review of International Organizations, Springer, vol. 19(1), pages 95-115, January.
    7. Romain Espinosa, 2016. "State provision of constitutional goods," Constitutional Political Economy, Springer, vol. 27(1), pages 1-40, March.
    8. Justin Callais & Andrew T. Young, 2022. "Does rigidity matter? Constitutional entrenchment and growth," European Journal of Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 53(1), pages 27-62, February.
    9. Cammeraat Emile, 2021. "The Effect of Constitutional Commitment to Social Security on Social Expenditure Schemes," Review of Law & Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 17(1), pages 193-222, March.
    10. Ryan H Murphy, 2022. "The constitution of ambiguity: The effects of constitutions on economic freedom," Economic Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 42(2), pages 240-258, June.

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    JEL classification:

    • K19 - Law and Economics - - Basic Areas of Law - - - Other
    • H11 - Public Economics - - Structure and Scope of Government - - - Structure and Scope of Government
    • O11 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development

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