Publication overview

Should market liberalisation precede democracy? Causal relations between political preferences and development

Abstract

This paper looks at the relationship between market development and democracy. We ask if demand for democracy emerges only after a certain degree of market development has been reached and, conversely, whether democratisation is likely to hinder acceptance of market liberalisation. Our study, which is based on the 2006 Life in Transition Survey, finds that democracy enhances support for market development, but that economic liberalisation does not clearly increase support for democracy.

Related information

Life in Transition survey