The Slave Trade and the Origins of Mistrust in Africa

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Nunn, Nathan; Wantchekon, Leonard
• 署名单位: Harvard University; New York University
• 刊物名称: AMERICAN ECONOMIC REVIEW
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0002-8282
• DOI: 10.1257/aer.101.7.3221
• 发表日期: 2011
• 页码: 3221-3252
• 关键词: cultural transmission; trust

摘要

We show that current differences in trust levels within Africa can be traced back to the transatlantic and Indian Ocean slave trades. Combining contemporary individual-level survey data with historical data on slave shipments by ethnic group, we find that individuals whose ancestors were heavily raided during the slave trade are less trusting today. Evidence from a variety of identification strategies suggests that the relationship is causal. Examining causal mechanisms, we show that most of the impact of the slave trade is through factors that are internal to the individual, such as cultural norms, beliefs, and values.