The Stability Threshold and Two Facets of Polarization
CORE Discussion Paper No. 2005/35
21 Pages Posted: 9 Aug 2005
Date Written: May 2005
Abstract
In this paper we introduce the stability threshold that quantifies the minimal returns to size sufficient to prevent credible secession threats by regions of the country. Severity of internal tension has been linked to degree of polarization of citizens' preferences and characteristics. We show that the increasing degree of polarization does not, in general, raise the stability threshold, even though this hypothesis holds in some asymptotic sense. We also examine the question of the number of smaller countries to be created if the unity of the large country is not sustainable, and investigate the link between this number and the degree of the country polarization.
Keywords: Polarization, secession, stability threshold, clusters
JEL Classification: H20, D70, D73
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation
Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?
Recommended Papers
-
By Alberto F. Alesina, William Easterly, ...
-
By Alberto F. Alesina, William Easterly, ...
-
An African Success Story: Botswana
By Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson, ...
-
An African Success Story: Botswana
By Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson, ...
-
The Economic Value of Cultural Diversity: Evidence from Us Cities