TY  - JOUR
AU  - Altindag,Duha Tore
AU  - Mocan,Naci H.
TI  - Joblessness and Perceptions about the Effectiveness of Democracy
JF  - National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper Series
VL  - No. 15994
PY  - 2010
Y2  - May 2010
UR  - http://www.nber.org/papers/w15994
L1  - http://www.nber.org/papers/w15994.pdf
N1  - Author contact info:
Duha Tore Altindag
Auburn University
Department of Economics
0334 Haley Center
Auburn AL, 36849
Tel: 334-844-2929
E-Mail: altindag@auburn.edu

Naci H. Mocan
Department of Economics
Louisiana State University
2119 Patrick F. Taylor Hall
Baton Rouge, LA 70803-6306
Tel: 225/578-4570
E-Mail: mocan@lsu.edu
AB  - Using micro data on more than 130,000 individuals from 69 countries, we analyze the extent to which joblessness of the individuals and the prevailing unemployment rate in the country impact perceptions of the effectiveness of democracy.   We find that personal joblessness experience translates into negative opinions about the effectiveness of democracy and it increases the desire for a rogue leader.  Evidence from people who live in European countries suggests that being jobless for more than a year is the source of  discontent.  We also find that well-educated and wealthier individuals are less likely to indicate that democracies are ineffective, regardless of  joblessness. People’s beliefs about the effectiveness of democracy as system of governance are also shaped by the unemployment rate in countries with low levels of democracy.  The results suggest that periods of high unemployment and joblessness could hinder the development of democracy or threaten its existence.
ER  -