Food Prices and Political Instability

March 1, 2011

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Format: Chicago

Rabah Arezki, and Markus Bruckner. Food Prices and Political Instability, (USA: International Monetary Fund, 2011) accessed September 20, 2024

Disclaimer: This Working Paper should not be reported as representing the views of the IMF.The views expressed in this Working Paper are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the IMF or IMF policy. Working Papers describe research in progress by the author(s) and are published to elicit comments and to further debate

Summary

We examine the effects that variations in the international food prices have on democracy and intra-state conflict using panel data for over 120 countries during the period 1970-2007. Our main finding is that in Low Income Countries increases in the international food prices lead to a significant deterioration of democratic institutions and a significant increase in the incidence of anti-government demonstrations, riots, and civil conflict. In the High Income Countries variations in the international food prices have no significant effects on democratic institutions and measures of intra-state conflict. Our empirical results point to a significant externality of variations in international food prices on Low Income Countries' social and political stability.

Subject: Estimation techniques, Food prices, Inflation, Personal income, Price indexes

Keywords: Country, Food price, Price index, WP

Publication Details

Pages:

22
Volume:

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DOI:

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Issue:

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Series:

Working Paper No. 2011/062
Stock No:

WPIEA2011062
ISBN:

9781455221066
ISSN:

1018-5941

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