Disease and Democracy: Which Way does the Arrow of Causality Point in India?

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dc.contributor.authorMayer, P.
dc.date.issued2022
dc.description.abstractPolitical scientists and historians have identified many different antecedent conditions necessary for the emergence of democratic government. Thornhill, Fincher and Aran (2009) have proposed that a heavy historical burden of disease results in values and behaviours that favour authoritarian forms of government. In this paper I use historical evidence and statistical data from India to test whether the causal relationship between disease and democracy they propose is valid. The paper finds no direct connection between pre-Independence disease levels and the degree of democratic mobilisation. On the contrary, the causal arrow points from democratisation to better health.
dc.description.statementofresponsibilityPeter Mayer
dc.identifier.citationNew Zealand Journal of Asian Studies, 2022; 24(1):65-90
dc.identifier.issn1174-8915
dc.identifier.orcidMayer, P. [0000-0002-2031-2920]
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/2440/135793
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherThe New Zealand Asian Studies Society
dc.rightsCopyright status unknown
dc.source.urihttps://www.nzasia.org.nz/all-issues.html
dc.subjectdemocracy; disease; inequality; social mobilisation; India; Kerala; health; human capital
dc.titleDisease and Democracy: Which Way does the Arrow of Causality Point in India?
dc.typeJournal article
pubs.publication-statusPublished

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