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Regional Inequality and Internal Conflict

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  • Leßmann, Christian

Abstract

This paper studies the influence of interregional inequality within countries on internal conflicts. Regional inequalities are measured by the population-weighted coefficient of variation of regional GDP per capita. As the main innovation, I use a panel data set of country-level regional inequalities, which covers 56 countries (835 subnational regions) between 1980 and 2009. I also consider a broader cross-section data set for the year 2005, which covers 110 countries (1569 subnational regions). Conflict is measured by the incidence of civil war (UCDP/PRIO data) and a risk measure of internal conflict (war, terrorism, and riots) provided by the PRS Group s International Country Risk Guide. Logit estimations are employed as well as OLS fixed effects panel regressions. I find that regional inequalities increase the risk of internal conflict.

Suggested Citation

  • Leßmann, Christian, 2014. "Regional Inequality and Internal Conflict," VfS Annual Conference 2014 (Hamburg): Evidence-based Economic Policy 100398, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:vfsc14:100398
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    Cited by:

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    3. Farzanegan, Mohammad Reza & Lessmann, Christian & Markwardt, Gunther, 2018. "Natural resource rents and internal conflicts: Can decentralization lift the curse?," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 42(2), pages 186-205.
    4. Kazeem B. Ajide & Olorunfemi Y. Alimi, 2021. "Income inequality, human capital and terrorism in Africa: Beyond exploratory analytics," International Economics, CEPII research center, issue 165, pages 218-240.
    5. Georg Hirte & Christian Lessmann, 2014. "Trade, Integration, and Interregional Inequality," CESifo Working Paper Series 4799, CESifo.
    6. Farzanegan, Mohammad Reza & Gholipour, Hassan F., 2023. "COVID-19 fatalities and internal conflict: Does government economic support matter?," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    7. Thomas Wieland, 2020. "REAT: A Regional Economic Analysis Toolbox for R," REGION, European Regional Science Association, vol. 7, pages 1-57.
    8. Lessmann, Christian, 2014. "Spatial inequality and development — Is there an inverted-U relationship?," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 35-51.
    9. Lessmann, Christian & Seidel, André, 2017. "Regional inequality, convergence, and its determinants – A view from outer space," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 110-132.
    10. Kalenborn, Christine & Lessmann, Christian, 2014. "Regional Income Inequality lowers Life Satisfaction: Evidence from OECD Countries," VfS Annual Conference 2014 (Hamburg): Evidence-based Economic Policy 100561, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    11. Bruno Emmanuel Ongo Nkoa & Luis Jacinto Ela Alene & Ludé Djam'Angai, 2024. "New wave of internal armed conflicts in developing countries: Does inequality of opportunity matter?," African Development Review, African Development Bank, vol. 36(1), pages 15-29, March.
    12. Federica Cappelli, 2023. "Investigating the origins of differentiated vulnerabilities to climate change through the lenses of the Capability Approach," Economia Politica: Journal of Analytical and Institutional Economics, Springer;Fondazione Edison, vol. 40(3), pages 1051-1074, October.
    13. Kacou Yves Thierry Kacou, 2022. "Interregional inequality in Africa, convergence, and multiple equilibria: Evidence from nighttime light data," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(2), pages 918-940, May.
    14. Farzanegan, Mohammad Reza & Witthuhn, Stefan, 2017. "Corruption and political stability: Does the youth bulge matter?," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 47-70.
    15. Georg Hirte & Christian Lessmann, 2014. "Trade and Interregional Inequality," ERSA conference papers ersa14p304, European Regional Science Association.
    16. Muhammad Hidayat & Nasri Bachtiar & Sjafrizal Sjafrizal & Elvina Primayesa, 2023. "The Influence of Investment, Energy Infrastructure, and Human Capital Towards Convergence of Regional Disparities in Sumatra Island, Indonesia; Using Oil and Gas Data and Without Oil and Gas," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 13(4), pages 139-149, July.
    17. Ahlerup, Pelle & Baskaran, Thushyanthan & Bigsten, Arne, 2017. "Regional development and national identity in sub-Saharan Africa," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 45(3), pages 622-643.
    18. Bo Tan & Hongwei Wang & Chen Ma & Xiaoqin Wang & Jing Zhou, 2021. "Spatial and Temporal Measurement of the Interaction between the County Economy and Rural Transformation in Xinjiang, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-17, May.
    19. Hirte, Georg & Lessmann, Christian & Seidel, André, 2020. "International trade, geographic heterogeneity and interregional inequality," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    20. Muhammad Hidayat & Nasri Bachtiar & Sjafrizal Sjafrizal & Elvina Primayesa, 2022. "Does Investment and Energy Infrastructure Influence Convergence in Sumatra Island, Indonesia?," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 12(4), pages 274-281, July.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • D74 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Conflict; Conflict Resolution; Alliances; Revolutions
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration

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