Social Cohesion and Economic Growth: An Empirical Investigation

Abstract

This study is an attempt to empirically investigate the effect of social cohesion on economic growth by using panel data for a large set of countries. We have used two different indices-Intergroup Cohesion and Membership of Clubs and Voluntary Associations-as a proxy for social cohesion. Our empirical findings suggest that different dimensions of social cohesion do not have the same kind of effect on economic growth. Intergroup Cohesion (bridging social capital) has a positive and significant effect, whereas Membership of Clubs and Voluntary Associations (bonding social capital) has a negative and significant relationship with economic growth.

Determinants of Human Development Disparities: A Cross District Analysis of Punjab, Pakistan

“…The HDI value of Sheikhupora is 0.62, Lahore 0.558, Muzaffar Garh 0.459, Dera Ghazi Khan 0.471 and Multan is 0.494 (UNDP, 2003). According to Jamal and Khan (2007) It is important to study development disparities among regions because it may create a severe type of rivalry and distrust among the different regions, which can be dangerous for social cohesion [Pervaiz and Chaudhary (2010)]. This distrust and rivalry can hamper the development and wellbeing of the people in different ways.…”

Impact of Public Debt on Economic Growth: An Empirical Investigation From South Asian Countries

“…Real GDP per capita, which is measured as the natural log of current minus previous year real GDP per capita, is used as a proxy for economic growth. It is used as a proxy to measure economic growth by many previous studies such as Barro (1991), Pervaiz & Chaudhary (2015), and Ghatak & Halicioglu (2007). The initial level of income measured as twenty years lagged value of the log of real GDP per capita included in the model as an explanatory variable to check the convergence among countries.…”

“…The initial level of income measured as twenty years lagged value of the log of real GDP per capita included in the model as an explanatory variable to check the convergence among countries. The initial GDP is used as a proxy to check the convergence among countries by Pervaiz & Chaudhary (2015), Barro (1991), and Caselli et al (1996). Gross fixed capital formation as a share of GDP is used as a proxy to measure capital accumulation in growth regression.…”

“…This, in turn, positively stimulates economic growth. This proxy was used by many previous studies by Munnell (1992), Pervaiz and Chaudhary (2015), and De Long & Summers (1991). The growth model is inappropriate without including the role of human capital in the model, as argued by Romer (1990) and Benhabib & Spiegel (1994).…”

Urban Design, Public Spaces, and Social Cohesion : Evidence from a Virtual Reality Experiment

“…Intergroup cohesion can indicate cooperation among identity-based groups, but membership in clubs and other voluntary associations can reflect "inward-looking behavior", which might explain the conflicting impacts of social cohesion on economic growth (Pervaiz & Chaudhary, 2015). Other studies suggest that 5 such social capital can provide access to resources in the face of shocks, such as natural disasters, along with psychological support (Aldrich & Meyer, 2014).…”