Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Economic Freedom and Antisemitism

Berggren, Niclas and Nilsson, Therese LU (2021) In Journal of Institutional Economics 17(2). p.289-304
Abstract
We examine how variation in antisemitism across countries can be explained by economic freedom. We propose two mechanisms. First, the more economic freedom, the greater the scope of market activities. If people perceive Jews as particularly skilful at doing business at the expense of others, a greater reliance on markets can increase antisemitism. Second, a key type of institution undergirding the market is an effective and fair legal system, or the rule of law. The stronger the rule of law, the smaller the risk for exploitative behaviour, and the less hostile people will be towards groups seen as exploiters. If Jews are seen as such, more economic freedom reduces antisemitism. We use the ADL Global 100 survey of antisemitic attitudes and... (More)
We examine how variation in antisemitism across countries can be explained by economic freedom. We propose two mechanisms. First, the more economic freedom, the greater the scope of market activities. If people perceive Jews as particularly skilful at doing business at the expense of others, a greater reliance on markets can increase antisemitism. Second, a key type of institution undergirding the market is an effective and fair legal system, or the rule of law. The stronger the rule of law, the smaller the risk for exploitative behaviour, and the less hostile people will be towards groups seen as exploiters. If Jews are seen as such, more economic freedom reduces antisemitism. We use the ADL Global 100 survey of antisemitic attitudes and relate them, for up to 106 countries, to the Economic Freedom of the World index and its five areas. Our empirical findings confirm the two predictions: The more economic openness, the more antisemitism; and the stronger the rule of law, the less antisemitism. These findings indicate a complex relationship between markets and attitudes towards Jews.
(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Journal of Institutional Economics
volume
17
issue
2
pages
289 - 304
publisher
Cambridge University Press
external identifiers
  • scopus:85095431206
ISSN
1744-1382
DOI
10.1017/S1744137420000466
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
bc8e683a-ed1e-479f-ae12-27bc895f8e80
date added to LUP
2020-09-23 10:25:34
date last changed
2022-04-19 00:44:39
@article{bc8e683a-ed1e-479f-ae12-27bc895f8e80,
  abstract     = {{We examine how variation in antisemitism across countries can be explained by economic freedom. We propose two mechanisms. First, the more economic freedom, the greater the scope of market activities. If people perceive Jews as particularly skilful at doing business at the expense of others, a greater reliance on markets can increase antisemitism. Second, a key type of institution undergirding the market is an effective and fair legal system, or the rule of law. The stronger the rule of law, the smaller the risk for exploitative behaviour, and the less hostile people will be towards groups seen as exploiters. If Jews are seen as such, more economic freedom reduces antisemitism. We use the ADL Global 100 survey of antisemitic attitudes and relate them, for up to 106 countries, to the Economic Freedom of the World index and its five areas. Our empirical findings confirm the two predictions: The more economic openness, the more antisemitism; and the stronger the rule of law, the less antisemitism. These findings indicate a complex relationship between markets and attitudes towards Jews.<br/>}},
  author       = {{Berggren, Niclas and Nilsson, Therese}},
  issn         = {{1744-1382}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{289--304}},
  publisher    = {{Cambridge University Press}},
  series       = {{Journal of Institutional Economics}},
  title        = {{Economic Freedom and Antisemitism}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S1744137420000466}},
  doi          = {{10.1017/S1744137420000466}},
  volume       = {{17}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}