Does an Inclusive Citizenship Law Promote Economic Development?
IMF Working Papers, January 11, 2019
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- Does an Inclusive Citizenship Law Promote Economic Development?
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Bibliographic details
- Authors: Patrick A. Imam, Kangni R Kpodar
- Published: January 11, 2019
- Series: IMF Working Papers
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9781484383070.001
Authors and Publication
- Authors: Patrick A. Imam, Kangni R Kpodar
- Publication: IMF Working Papers, Working Paper No. 2019/003
- Issue: 003
- Volume: 2019
- Pages: 37
- Publication date: January 11, 2019
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9781484383070.001
- ISBN: 9781484383070
- ISSN: 1018-5941
- Stock No: WPIEA2019003
Research Question and Scope
- Primary question: Do citizenship laws affect economic development?
- Geographic and institutional scope: Global cross-country analysis with attention to developing countries and variation by institutional environment.
- Subject areas: Education, Legal support in revenue administration, Migration, National accounts, Personal income, Population and demographics, Revenue administration.
Data and Methods
- Data: A compiled dataset of citizenship laws around the world (classification into jus soli, jus sanguinis, and mixed regimes).
- Empirical methods:
- Cross-country regressions
- Panel-data techniques
- Synthetic control method
- Battery of robustness tests
Key Findings
- Main empirical result: Jus soli laws—being more inclusive—lead to higher income levels than alternative citizenship rules in developing countries.
- Moderation by institutions: The positive effect of jus soli laws on income is smaller in countries with stronger institutional environment.
- Robustness: Results are reported as robust across the specified econometric approaches and tests.
Policy Implications and Interpretive Points
- Inclusivity of citizenship regimes (jus soli) is associated with higher income levels in developing-country contexts, suggesting legal design of citizenship can be an economic-development relevant policy lever.
- Strength of institutional environment conditions the magnitude of the association between inclusive citizenship laws and income outcomes.
Keywords (as provided)
- citizenship law, Citizenship laws, civil law, civil law country, common law country, country authorities, country of immigrant, country's citizenship, dummy variable, economic development, Europe, government activity, law country, legal origin, Legal support in revenue administration, Migration, naturalization law, Personal income, regime country, Sub-Saharan Africa, sub-Saharan country, Western Hemisphere, Western Hemisphere country, WP
Source: IMF Working Paper "Does an Inclusive Citizenship Law Promote Economic Development?" by Patrick A. Imam and Kangni R Kpodar, January 11, 2019; Working Paper No. 2019/003; DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9781484383070.001 (accessed 9/18/2026).
Content in this bundle
- Does an Inclusive Citizenship Law Promote Economic Development?, WP/19/3, January 2019