HomeLibraryPublication

The Historical Roots of Well-Being and Social Cohesion

Eric M. Uslaner (2019)

Key facts

Journal/Publisher
United Nations
Type of publication
Technical/Evaluation report
Elements of social cohesion
Equality/Inequality
Other (Education)
Geographical focus
Empirical
Main thematic areas
Inequality

Summary

A country’s levels of well-being and social cohesion are largely stable over long periods of time. Two key determinants of well-being—equality and education—follow this ‘path dependence’. This paper reviews these relationships and then move to a discussion of how early levels of education influence contemporary well-being. It finds that education matters for social cohesion, and that historical levels of education are mostly more important than contemporary enrollments. The evidence largely comes from the West because of data availability, but there is support for this claim in other regions. There is also evidence that countries can catch up, as the case of many East Asian nations shows. Yet change is not easy given the ‘stickiness’ of inequality and the high correlation between mean school years in 1870 and 2010. It is difficult to organize poor (and uneducated) citizens, and to ensure a country’s leaders will provide resources for the poor. Many countries do not have sufficient economic or other resources or the political support to enact policies to change the distribution of human capital.

Publication_2019_Eric M. Uslaner

Explore the hub further

graph_concept_A Comprehensive Framework for Diagnosing the Hidden Patterns of Social Cohesion
Concept

A Comprehensive Framework for Diagnosing the Hidden Patterns of Social Cohesion

graph_data_SCORE Ukraine & SCORE Eastern Ukraine
Data

SCORE Ukraine & SCORE Eastern Ukraine

graph_publication_Social Cohesion as Peacebuilding in the Central African Republic and Beyond
Library

Social Cohesion as Peacebuilding in the Central African Republic and Beyond

image_project_Social Cohesion through Sport
Project

Social Cohesion through Sport