40 Pages Posted: 25 Jun 2010

Date Written: June 24, 2010

Abstract

The paper examines the relationship between civic values and neoliberal reforms. It shows that countries with more idealistic (or civic-minded) cultural attitudes also have more neoliberal economic policies. In addition, countries with more idealistic cultural values moved most rapidly toward market reforms after 1980. In less civic-minded cultures, rent-seeking special interest groups blocked reform, even as the superiority of the neoliberal economic model became increasingly apparent.