Historical Border Changes, State Building, and Contemporary Trust in Europe

Abstract

Political borders profoundly influence outcomes central to international politics. Accordingly, a growing literature shows that historical boundaries affect important macro-outcomes such as patterns of interstate disputes and trade. To explain these findings, existing theories posit that borders have persistent effects on individual-level behavior, but the literature lacks empirical evidence of such effects. Combining spatial data on centuries of border changes in Europe with a wide range of contemporary survey evidence, we show that historical border changes have persistent effects on two of the most politically significant aspects of behavior: individuals’ political and social trust. We demonstrate that in areas where borders frequently changed, individuals are, on average, less trusting of others as well as their governments. We argue that this occurs because border changes disrupt historical state-building processes and limit the formation of interpersonal social networks, which leads to lower levels of trust.

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“…Майкова Э.Ю., Симонова Е.В. СОЦИАЛЬНОЕ И ЭКОНОМИЧЕСКОЕ РАЗВИТИЕ чаются (Глушко, 2016;Гужавина, Силина, 2018;Доверие и недоверие…, 2013;Ильичева, Лапин, 2022;Латов, 2021;Петухов, 2020;Реутов, 2018;Ромашкина и др., 2018;Шабунова и др., 2015;Штомпка, 2012;Abramson at al., 2022;Algan at al., 2013;Buell at al., 2020;Mishler, Rose, 2001). Выделяемые авторами работ детерминанты доверия варьируются от личностных характеристик субъекта доверия, психологических механизмов его формирования до специфики протекания исторических процессов на определенных территориях.…”

“…Однако наиболее значимы для нашей работы исследовательские подходы, связанные с изу чением детерминант доверия к политическим институтам и органам МСУ (Доверие и недоверие…, 2013;Ильичева, Лапин, 2022;Козырева, Смирнов, 2015;Малкина и др., 2020;Петухов, 2017;Петухов, 2020;Реутов, 2018;Реутов, Реутова, 2016;Abramson at al., 2022;Buell at al., 2020;Mishler, Rose, 2001). Попытка систематизации факторов доверия к политическим институтам предпринята зарубежными исследователями У. Мишлером и Р. Роузом, указавшими на конкуренцию двух теоретических традиций в объяснении происхождения политического доверия -культурных и институциональных теорий.…”

The European Union as a supranational association and the problem of state sovereignty

“…The European Union as a supranational association and the problem of state sovereignty That is, the main goal of these officials was to build increasingly efficient states bound by well-institutionalized boundaries. These increasingly effective state institutions played an important role in facilitating economic exchange between people who did not know each other, for example by providing clear rules and enforcing norms (Abramson et al, 2022).…”

“…In the absence of effective state-building, individuals often relied on narrow and exclusive groups within which they could reliably engage in commerce. In sixteenth-century England, individuals formed exclusive associations to provide credit when the state was unable to provide a stable currency at all times (Abramson et al, 2022).…”

“…The main goal of this period was to consolidate territory, often dispersed because of the dangers of inheritance or conquest. Thus, Austria gave up territories in southern Italy for the north, and France absorbed Franche-Comté, Alsace, and Lorraine, contributing to its efforts to replace the disorderly: "Pré carré, or straight line of division" and the chaotic 1659 border of the southern Netherlands (Abramson et al, 2022).…”