Stalin and the origins of mistrust

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F67985998%3A_____%2F22%3A00556920" target="_blank" >RIV/67985998:_____/22:00556920 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpubeco.2022.104629" target="_blank" >https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpubeco.2022.104629</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jpubeco.2022.104629" target="_blank" >10.1016/j.jpubeco.2022.104629</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Stalin and the origins of mistrust

Original language description

We examine current differences in trust levels within the countries of the former Soviet Union (FSU) and trace their origins back to the system of forced labor during Stalin, which was marked by high incarceration rates and harsh punishments. We explore whether those exposed to knowledge about the repressions became less trusting and transferred this social norm to future generations and communities. We argue that political repressions were more salient and visible to local communities living near forced labor camps (gulags), which symbolized the harshness of Stalin's regime. Combining contemporary survey data with the geolocation of forced labor camps, we find that living near former gulags lowers present-day social trust and civic engagement. These effects are independent of living near places where Stalin's victims were arrested. Moreover, they are above and beyond any experiences with war or civil conflict that the extant literature documents, indicating that the gulag system's repressiveness is a crucial trigger of the mistrust culture within the FSU countries today. As such, we furnish novel evidence on how past political repression matters for current socioeconomic outcomes.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

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OECD FORD branch

50202 - Applied Economics, Econometrics

Project

—

Continuities

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Publication year

2022

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Journal of Public Economics

ISSN

0047-2727

e-ISSN

0047-2727

Volume of the periodical

208

Issue of the periodical within the volume

April

Country of publishing house

NL - THE KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS

Number of pages

21

Pages from-to

104629

UT code for WoS article

000821046800016

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-85125434808