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Workers of the world, unite! Franchise extensions and the threat of revolution in Europe, 1820–1938

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

Repository DOI


Type

Article

Change log

Authors

Aidt, TS 

Abstract

We test the hypothesis that the extension of the voting franchise in Europe was related to the threat of revolution. We contend that international diffusion of regime contention and information about revolutionary events happening in neighboring countries generate the necessary variation in the perceived threat of revolution. Using two samples of European countries covering the period from 1820 to 1938, we find robust evidence which is consistent with the ‘threat of revolution hypothesis’. We also find some evidence that war triggered suffrage reform.

Description

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Elsevier via http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.euroecorev.2014.08.001

Keywords

Suffrage, Economics of democratization, Threat of revolution

Journal Title

European Economic Review

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0014-2921
1873-572X

Volume Title

72

Publisher

Elsevier