Linking Conflict to Inequality and Polarization

Published in

American Economic Review 101 (4), 2011, pages 1345-1374.

Abstract

In this paper we study a behavioral model of conflict that provides a basis for choosing certain indices of dispersion as indicators for conflict. We show that the (equilibrium) level of conflict can be expressed as an (approximate) linear function of the Gini coefficient, the Herfindahl-Hirschman fractionalization index, and a specific measure of polarization due to Esteban and Ray.

Full text

By Joan Esteban and Debraj Ray
Published Feb. 27, 2012 1:58 PM - Last modified Nov. 20, 2017 2:35 PM