Posted on 11/16/2009 7:30:08 AM PST by AreaMan
What makes economies grow? It’s a question that has occupied thinkers for centuries. Most of us would tick off things like education levels, openness to trade, natural resources, and political systems.
Here’s one you might not have considered: hell.
A pair of Harvard researchers recently examined 40 years of data from dozens of countries, trying to sort out the economic impact of religious beliefs or practices. They found that religion has a measurable effect on developing economies - and the most powerful influence relates to how strongly people believe in hell.
That hell could matter to economic growth might seem surprising, since you can’t prove it exists, let alone quantify it. It stands as one of the more intriguing findings in a growing body of recent research exploring how religion might influence the wealth and prosperity of societies. In recent years, Italian economists have presented findings that religion can boost GDP by increasing trust within a society; researchers in the United States showed that religion reduces corruption and increases respect for law in ways that boost overall economic growth. A number of researchers have documented how merchants used religious backgrounds to establish one another’s reliability.
The notion that religion influences economies has a long history, but the specifics have been vexingly difficult to pin down. Today, as researchers start to answer the question more definitively with the tools of modern economics, what’s emerging is a clearer picture of how nations’ prosperity can depend, in part, on seemingly abstract concerns like theology - and sometimes on quite nuanced points of belief or religious fervor.
The work is preliminary, but offers the hope of useful findings. ...
(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...
Using best SNL Church lady voice:”CAN WE SAY SATAN?” lol.
“In recent years, Italian economists have presented findings that religion can boost GDP by increasing trust within a society; researchers in the United States showed that religion reduces corruption and increases respect for law in ways that boost overall economic growth. A number of researchers have documented how merchants used religious backgrounds to establish one another’s reliability.”
Well, as Gomer Pyle might say, “surprise, surprise, surprise!”
Francis Fukayama wrote a book a few years back called Trust. He had a lengthier version of this argument. Appears to be quite sound.
Hmm.. so “diversity” ISN’T a strength...
And the rule of law over the rule of men is also essential for successful economies and societies...
Who’d a thunk it?
Sounds about right to me.
I was looked upon as an idiot, when I said that the pyramid scheme “bubble” was going to burst. Greed and self serving bureaucrats have destroyed this country.
God is bringing this “one Nation, under God” to its knees, one way or another.
Bookmark
Religion also gives sports teams a powerful winning advantage over teams without religion. Catholic school sports teams outperform secular schools of similar size. The main evolutionary purpose of religion though is that it provides a winning advantage during tribal warfare. Whether you are religious or not, you should support those with the gift of faith as an important advantage for your tribe.
Gold, Glory and Gospel. Why Spain explored America.
Guy didn't spend 13 years being married to my ex-wife.
“Gold, glory, and the gospel” bingo. Also Ferdinand and Isabella had won the war on terror involving jihadists in 1492 and they needed gold to fill the state coffers.Boy it sounds so today eh?
The bar needs to be raised if you want to trust someone in a commercial venture.
There are fewer and fewer people who claim a belief in Hell, so that is a true distinguishing factor.
Someone might actually be trusted to hold up their end of a bargain if they believe they might be damned to eternal Hell for not doing so.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.