Citation

Discussion Paper Details

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Title: The Explosive Combination of Religious Decentralisation and Autocracy: the Case of Islam

Author(s): Emmanuelle Auriol and Jean-Philippe Platteau

Publication Date: January 2017

Keyword(s): Autocracy, centralized and decentralized religion, Corruption, economic development, instrumentalization of religion, Islam and reforms

Programme Area(s): Development Economics

Abstract: The relationship between religion and politics is explored from a theoretical standpoint. Religious clerics can be seduced by an autocrat and political stability is at stake. The autocrat's decisions consist of two measures susceptible of antagonising religious clerics: adopting secular reforms and unduly appropriating part of national wealth, which generally are complement. Compared to centralized religions, decentralized religions, such as Islam, tend to discourage secular reforms and corruption but those effects are not guaranteed if the autocrat accepts political instability. The main hypotheses and the central results of the theory are illustrated with regime case studies that refer to contemporary times.

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Bibliographic Reference

Auriol, E and Platteau, J. 2017. 'The Explosive Combination of Religious Decentralisation and Autocracy: the Case of Islam'. London, Centre for Economic Policy Research. https://cepr.org/active/publications/discussion_papers/dp.php?dpno=11815