Mayer, P.2022-07-132022-07-132022New Zealand Journal of Asian Studies, 2022; 24(1):65-901174-8915https://hdl.handle.net/2440/135793Political 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.enCopyright status unknowndemocracy; disease; inequality; social mobilisation; India; Kerala; health; human capitalJournal article2022-07-07616150Mayer, P. [0000-0002-2031-2920]