Martin Ottmann, Felix Haass.
Does Peace Trickle Down? Micro-Level Evidence from Africa.
Manuscript,
2018.
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Abstract
We investigate if ethnic representation in power-sharing pacts alleviates political, economic, or social grievances for citizens in post-conflict countries. To link individuals and post-conflict elites theoretically, we conceptualize rebel groups as ethno-political organizations. These organizations can only address political, economic, social grievances when a peace agreement propels them into a powerful position to do so, typically in form of a power-sharing pact between rebel and government elites. As a result, we expect that individuals with ethnic ties to rebel organizations in a past power-sharing pact perceive generally improved political, economic conditions, and inter-ethnic relations. To investigate these propositions, we link data from recent Afrobarometer surveys to information on individuals' ethnic ties to rebel organizations in power-sharing arrangements in three African post-conflict countries. Results from a wide range of fixed effects specifications show that representation in ethnic power-sharing results in perceptions of mitigated general political, economic, and inter-ethnic grievances.