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Holger Strulik - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Secularization and long run economic growth
Economic Inquiry, 2016Co-Authors: Holger StrulikAbstract:In a consumer culture the consumer, not Christ, is king. --Skye Jethani I. INTRODUCTION This paper proposes a novel theory of identity choice and endogenous economic growth in which Secularization is both cause and consequence of successful economic development. It contributes to the literature on the fundamentals of economic growth (Acemoglu 2009) by proposing a theory of how culture, driven by economic change, may change rapidly and where cultural change in turn drives further economic development. The core idea is that through abandoning their religious identity (their strife for salvation from the dire situation on earth), individuals are able to derive more pleasure from material possessions and consumption activities. The prospect of pleasure in this world motivates them to work harder and save more for future consumption. Increasing labor supply and capital accumulation induces technological progress and income growth, which entices further individuals to abandon religion in order to derive more pleasure from material possessions, which motivates them to supply more labor and capital, etc. Through this feedback loop, the economy takes off when religiosity declines and industrialization is observed in conjunction with Secularization. Following the literature, I define "religious" as believing in a god or a group of gods and following the rules of a religion (McKendrick, Brewer, and Plumb 1982). Although the proposed theory is perhaps more general, the paper focuses on economic and religious developments of the Western world, which means it focuses on Christian beliefs. I define as the core creed of Christian religion that through belief in and acceptance of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, sinful humans can be reconciled with God and thereby are offered salvation and the promise of eternal life (Metzger and Coogan 1993). The Christian Church is the agent specialized in promoting the desire for these immaterial (heavenly) values and goals (Ekelund et al. 1997). I define as religious identity the self-identification with Christian religious values. In Section II, I argue that individuals identify with either immaterial self-transcendence values (religion) or with material self-enhancement values (materialism). I argue that individuals using individual possessions or consumption activities as identity fixers have chosen a secular (materialistic) identity. I define as Secularization, the decline in the social significance of religion manifested by the decline in the number of religious people (individuals identifying with religion), measured by declining church attendance (Bruce 2011). Most scholars of religion agree that for Christians, church attendance is a good measure of religiosity (Brierley 1999; Bruce 2011; Warner 2010). Attending the Sunday service was obligatory for Protestants of most denominations as well as for members of the Anglican Church and deliberate failure to attend Sunday mass is still considered to be a grave sin according to Catholic canon law. In the economists' language, church attendance is a revealed preference. Because church is the only place where sins can be forgiven, not attending shows a loss of interest in salvation and eternal life, the main goods offered by the church. Attendance is strongly but not perfectly correlated with adherence. In particular, attendance declines before membership declines (Bruce 2011). Moreover, there exists a temporary phase of "fuzzy fidelity" in which many individuals claim that while religion is not important in their life they continue to consider themselves Christians and occasionally appear in church (Voas 2008). This temporary state is not explicitly taken into account in the theory below but considered to be best described by a secular identity. As industrialization, Secularization is a general phenomenon, observed throughout the Western world. The first data point, however, is only observed in 1851 for England when church attendance was about 60% (Brierley 1999). …
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Secularization and long run economic growth
Research Papers in Economics, 2015Co-Authors: Holger StrulikAbstract:This paper integrates a simple theory of identity choice into a framework of endogenous economic growth to explain how Secularization can be both cause and consequence of economic development. A secular identity allows an individual to derive more pleasure from consumption than religious individuals, leading secular individuals to work harder and to save more in order to experience this pleasure from consumption. These activities are conducive to economic growth. Higher income makes consumption more affordable and increases the appeal of a secular identity for the next generation. An extension of the basic model investigates the Protestant Reformation as an intermediate stage during the take-off to growth. Another extension introduces intergenerationally dependent religious preferences and demonstrates how a social multiplier amplifies the speed of Secularization.
Shoshana Neuman - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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the evolution of Secularization cultural transmission religion and fertility theory simulations and evidence
Journal of Population Economics, 2013Co-Authors: Ronen Barel, Teresa Garciamunoz, Shoshana Neuman, Yossef TobolAbstract:This study presents an evolutionary process of Secularization assuming that cultural/social/religious norms (in particular the ‘religious taste for children’) are transmitted from one generation to the next via two venues: (i) direct socialization—across generations, by parents; and (ii) oblique socialization—within generations, by the cultural environment. The paper integrates a theoretical model, simulations and an empirical estimation, that lead to the following main findings: (i) direct religious socialization efforts of one generation have a negative effect on Secularization within the next generation; (ii) oblique socialization by the community has a parabolic effect on Secularization; and (iii) the two types of socialization are complementary in ‘producing’ religiosity in the next generation.
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the evolution of Secularization cultural transmission religion and fertility theory simulations and evidence
Papers on Economics of Religion, 2010Co-Authors: Ronen Barel, Teresa Garciamunoz, Shoshana Neuman, Yossef TobolAbstract:This study presents an evolutionary process of Secularization that integrates a theoretical model, simulations, and an empirical estimation that employs data from 32 countries (included in the International Social Survey Program: Religion II – ISSP, 1998). Following Bisin and Verdier (2000, 2001a), it is assumed that cultural/social norms are transmitted from one generation to the next one via two venues: (i) direct socialization – across generations, by parents; and (ii) oblique socialization – within generations, by the community and cultural environment. This paper focuses on the transmission of religious norms and in particular on the 'religious taste for children'. The theoretical framework describes the setting and the process leading to Secularization of the population; the simulations give more insight into the process; and 'Secularization regressions' estimate the effects of the various explanatory variables on Secularization (that is measured by rare mass-attendance and by rare-prayer), lending support to corollaries derived from the theory and simulations. The main conclusions/findings are that (i) direct religious socialization efforts of one generation have a negative effect on Secularization within the next generation; (ii) oblique socialization by the community has a parabolic effect on Secularization; and (iii) the two types of socialization are complements in 'producing' religiosity of the next generation.
Yossef Tobol - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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the evolution of Secularization cultural transmission religion and fertility theory simulations and evidence
Journal of Population Economics, 2013Co-Authors: Ronen Barel, Teresa Garciamunoz, Shoshana Neuman, Yossef TobolAbstract:This study presents an evolutionary process of Secularization assuming that cultural/social/religious norms (in particular the ‘religious taste for children’) are transmitted from one generation to the next via two venues: (i) direct socialization—across generations, by parents; and (ii) oblique socialization—within generations, by the cultural environment. The paper integrates a theoretical model, simulations and an empirical estimation, that lead to the following main findings: (i) direct religious socialization efforts of one generation have a negative effect on Secularization within the next generation; (ii) oblique socialization by the community has a parabolic effect on Secularization; and (iii) the two types of socialization are complementary in ‘producing’ religiosity in the next generation.
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the evolution of Secularization cultural transmission religion and fertility theory simulations and evidence
Papers on Economics of Religion, 2010Co-Authors: Ronen Barel, Teresa Garciamunoz, Shoshana Neuman, Yossef TobolAbstract:This study presents an evolutionary process of Secularization that integrates a theoretical model, simulations, and an empirical estimation that employs data from 32 countries (included in the International Social Survey Program: Religion II – ISSP, 1998). Following Bisin and Verdier (2000, 2001a), it is assumed that cultural/social norms are transmitted from one generation to the next one via two venues: (i) direct socialization – across generations, by parents; and (ii) oblique socialization – within generations, by the community and cultural environment. This paper focuses on the transmission of religious norms and in particular on the 'religious taste for children'. The theoretical framework describes the setting and the process leading to Secularization of the population; the simulations give more insight into the process; and 'Secularization regressions' estimate the effects of the various explanatory variables on Secularization (that is measured by rare mass-attendance and by rare-prayer), lending support to corollaries derived from the theory and simulations. The main conclusions/findings are that (i) direct religious socialization efforts of one generation have a negative effect on Secularization within the next generation; (ii) oblique socialization by the community has a parabolic effect on Secularization; and (iii) the two types of socialization are complements in 'producing' religiosity of the next generation.
Ronen Barel - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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the evolution of Secularization cultural transmission religion and fertility theory simulations and evidence
Journal of Population Economics, 2013Co-Authors: Ronen Barel, Teresa Garciamunoz, Shoshana Neuman, Yossef TobolAbstract:This study presents an evolutionary process of Secularization assuming that cultural/social/religious norms (in particular the ‘religious taste for children’) are transmitted from one generation to the next via two venues: (i) direct socialization—across generations, by parents; and (ii) oblique socialization—within generations, by the cultural environment. The paper integrates a theoretical model, simulations and an empirical estimation, that lead to the following main findings: (i) direct religious socialization efforts of one generation have a negative effect on Secularization within the next generation; (ii) oblique socialization by the community has a parabolic effect on Secularization; and (iii) the two types of socialization are complementary in ‘producing’ religiosity in the next generation.
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the evolution of Secularization cultural transmission religion and fertility theory simulations and evidence
Papers on Economics of Religion, 2010Co-Authors: Ronen Barel, Teresa Garciamunoz, Shoshana Neuman, Yossef TobolAbstract:This study presents an evolutionary process of Secularization that integrates a theoretical model, simulations, and an empirical estimation that employs data from 32 countries (included in the International Social Survey Program: Religion II – ISSP, 1998). Following Bisin and Verdier (2000, 2001a), it is assumed that cultural/social norms are transmitted from one generation to the next one via two venues: (i) direct socialization – across generations, by parents; and (ii) oblique socialization – within generations, by the community and cultural environment. This paper focuses on the transmission of religious norms and in particular on the 'religious taste for children'. The theoretical framework describes the setting and the process leading to Secularization of the population; the simulations give more insight into the process; and 'Secularization regressions' estimate the effects of the various explanatory variables on Secularization (that is measured by rare mass-attendance and by rare-prayer), lending support to corollaries derived from the theory and simulations. The main conclusions/findings are that (i) direct religious socialization efforts of one generation have a negative effect on Secularization within the next generation; (ii) oblique socialization by the community has a parabolic effect on Secularization; and (iii) the two types of socialization are complements in 'producing' religiosity of the next generation.
Kyle C. Longest - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Exposure to science, perspectives on science and religion, and religious commitment in young adulthood.
Social science research, 2017Co-Authors: Jeremy E. Uecker, Kyle C. LongestAbstract:Social scientists know very little about the consequences of exposure to scientific knowledge and holding different perspectives on science and religion for individuals' religious lives. Drawing on Secularization and post-secular theories, we develop and test several hypotheses about the relationships among exposure to scientific knowledge, perspectives on religion and science, and religious commitment using panel data from the National Study of Youth and Religion. Our findings indicate that religious faith is strongest among young adults who: (1) accommodate scientific knowledge into their religious perspective, or (2) reject scientific knowledge that directly contradicts their religious beliefs about the origins of the world. Young adults are also more likely to have lower religious commitment when they view science and religion as independent institutions, lending support to Secularization ideas about how social differentiation secularizes individuals. We further find that mere exposure to scientific knowledge, in terms of majoring in biology or acknowledging conflict between the teachings of religion and science, is usually not sufficient to undermine religious commitment.
