Workers of the world, unite! Franchise extensions and the threat of revolution in Europe, 1820–1938
Accepted version
Peer-reviewed
Repository URI
Repository DOI
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
1873-572X
Volume Title
72
Publisher
Elsevier