Religious Festivals and Economic Development: Evidence from the Timing of Mexican Saint Day Festivals

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Montero, Eduardo; Yang, Dean
• 署名单位: University of Chicago; University of Michigan System; University of Michigan
• 刊物名称: AMERICAN ECONOMIC REVIEW
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0002-8282
• DOI: 10.1257/aer.20211094
• 发表日期: 2022
• 页码: 3176-3214
• 关键词: self-selection; GROWTH; agriculture; population; migration; MIGRANTS; PARTICIPATION; institutions; PRODUCTIVITY; stagnation

摘要

Does variation in how religious festivals are celebrated have eco-nomic consequences? We study the economic impacts of the timing of Catholic patron saint day festivals in Mexico. For causal iden-tification, we exploit cross-locality variation in festival dates and in the timing of agricultural seasons. We estimate the impact of agriculturally coinciding festivals (those coinciding with peak planting or harvest months) on long-run economic development of localities. Agriculturally coinciding festivals lead to lower house-hold income and worse development outcomes overall. These neg-ative effects are likely due to lower agricultural productivity, which inhibits structural transformation out of agriculture. Agriculturally coinciding festivals may nonetheless persist because they also lead to higher religiosity and social capital.