Forget your gods: African evidence on the relation between state capacity and cognitive ability of leading politicians

Kodila-Tedika, Oasis (2013): Forget your gods: African evidence on the relation between state capacity and cognitive ability of leading politicians.

Abstract

This paper uses a unique dataset to investigate the effect of the cognitive ability of leading politicians on state capacity. Given the evidence that cognitive ability of leading politicians’ affects state capacity positively, except Africa. For the continent, this relationship between state and cognitive ability of leading politicians is negative. This finding is robust to a wide range of specifications and controls variables. Justifications for the unexpected nexus are provided.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: State capacity, cognitive ability of leading politicians, Intelligence, Africa
• Subjects: D - Microeconomics > D0 - General > D02 - Institutions: Design, Formation, Operations, and Impact; H - Public Economics > H1 - Structure and Scope of Government > H11 - Structure, Scope, and Performance of Government; I - Health, Education, and Welfare > I2 - Education and Research Institutions > I25 - Education and Economic Development; O - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth > O2 - Development Planning and Policy > O20 - General; O - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth > O4 - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity > O43 - Institutions and Growth; O - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth > O5 - Economywide Country Studies

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