Why Being Wrong can be Right: Magical Warfare Technologies and the Persistence of False Beliefs / Nathan Nunn, Raul Sanchez de la Sierra.

By:

Nunn, Nathan

Contributor(s):

Material type: Text

TextSeries: Working Paper Series (National Bureau of Economic Research) ; no. w23207.Publication details: Cambridge, Mass. National Bureau of Economic Research 2017.Description: 1 online resource: illustrations (black and white)Subject(s):

Online resources:

Available additional physical forms:

Hardcopy version available to institutional subscribers

Abstract: Across human societies, one sees many examples of deeply rooted and widely-held beliefs that are almost certainly untrue. Examples include beliefs about witchcraft, magic, ordeals, and superstitions. Why are such incorrect beliefs so prevalent and how do they persist? We consider this question through an examination of superstitions and magic associated with conflict in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Focusing on superstitions related to bulletproofing, we provide theory and case-study evidence showing how these incorrect beliefs persist. Although harmful at the individual-level, we show that they generate Pareto efficient outcomes that have group-level benefits.

Tags from this library: No tags from this library for this title. Log in to add tags.

Average rating: 0.0 (0 votes)

Holdings
Item type	Home library	Collection	Call number	Status	Date due	Barcode	Item holds
Working Paper	Biblioteca Digital	Colección NBER	nber w23207 (Browse shelf(Opens below))	Not For Loan

Total holds: 0

Collection: Colección NBER Close shelf browser (Hides shelf browser)

Previous	No cover image available	No cover image available	No cover image available	No cover image available	No cover image available	No cover image available	No cover image available	Next
Previous	nber w23204 The London Monetary and Economic Conference of 1933 and the End of The Great Depression: A “Change of Regime” Analysis /	nber w23205 Aftershocks of Monetary Unification: Hysteresis with a Financial Twist /	nber w23206 FX Market Metrics: New Findings Based on CLS Bank Settlement Data /	nber w23207 Why Being Wrong can be Right: Magical Warfare Technologies and the Persistence of False Beliefs /	nber w23208 The Historical State, Local Collective Action, and Economic Development in Vietnam /	nber w23209 Instrumental Variables and Causal Mechanisms: Unpacking The Effect of Trade on Workers and Voters /	nber w2321 The Mundell-Flemming Model: A Quarter Century Later /	Next

March 2017.

Across human societies, one sees many examples of deeply rooted and widely-held beliefs that are almost certainly untrue. Examples include beliefs about witchcraft, magic, ordeals, and superstitions. Why are such incorrect beliefs so prevalent and how do they persist? We consider this question through an examination of superstitions and magic associated with conflict in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Focusing on superstitions related to bulletproofing, we provide theory and case-study evidence showing how these incorrect beliefs persist. Although harmful at the individual-level, we show that they generate Pareto efficient outcomes that have group-level benefits.