Violence and Financial Decisions: Evidence from Mobile Money in Afghanistan

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Blumenstock, Joshua E.; Callen, Michael; Ghani, Tarek; Gonzalez, Robert
• 署名单位: University of California System; University of California Berkeley; University of London; London School Economics & Political Science; Washington University (WUSTL); University System of Georgia; Georgia Institute of Technology
• 刊物名称: REVIEW OF ECONOMICS AND STATISTICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0034-6535
• DOI: 10.1162/rest_a_01147
• 发表日期: 2024-03
• 页码: 352-369
• 关键词: subjective expectations; RISK; preferences; BEHAVIOR; INFORMATION; phones; IMPACT; time

摘要

We provide evidence that violence reduces the adoption and use of mobile money in three separate empirical settings in Afghanistan. First, analyzing nationwide mobile money transaction logs, we find that users exposed to violence reduce use of mobile money. Second, using panel survey data from a field experiment, we show that subjects expecting violence are significantly less likely to respond to random inducements to use mobile money. Finally, analyzing nationwide financial survey data, we find that individuals expecting violence hold more cash. Collectively, this evidence suggests that violence can impede the growth of formal financial systems.