History, Diversity & Development: Evidence from Afghan Provinces

66 Pages Posted: 20 May 2020

See all articles by Imran Qaiser

Imran Qaiser

Free University of Berlin (FUB) - Department of Business and Economics

Theocharis Grigoriadis

Free University of Berlin (FUB) - Department of Business and Economics

Date Written: May 15, 2020

Abstract

In this paper, we explore the effects of historical and contemporary ethnolinguistic diversity on socio-economic development in Afghan provinces. Using a robust regression discontinuity design across historical and contemporary cultural borders, we find that higher levels of contemporary diversity are likely to induce lower levels of conflict, higher levels of income and trust, and lower levels of individualism. Historical ethnolinguistic borders are strongly associated with income, provision of public goods and political preferences in Afghanistan. The Old Persian empires of the Achaemenids, Parthians, and most importantly Sasanians, as well as the Turkic empires of Timurids and Chughtai have had a positive long-run impact on Afghan socio-economic development, while the opposite holds for Islamic Persian empires.

Keywords: civilization, diversity, development, Afghanistan

JEL Classification: P16, P26, P48

Suggested Citation

Qaiser, Imran and Grigoriadis, Theocharis, History, Diversity & Development: Evidence from Afghan Provinces (May 15, 2020). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3602191 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3602191

Imran Qaiser

Free University of Berlin (FUB) - Department of Business and Economics ( email )

Boltzmannstrasse 20
D-14195 Berlin, 14195
Germany

Theocharis Grigoriadis (Contact Author)

Free University of Berlin (FUB) - Department of Business and Economics ( email )

Boltzmannstrasse 20
D-14195 Berlin, 14195
Germany

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