Journal of Historical Political Economy > Vol 2 > Issue 1

Unexpectedly Mortal: The Effects of Political Violence and Commemoration on Pro-Social Behavior

Vladimir Zabolotskiy, Department of Economics, University of Bologna, Italy, vladimir.zabolotski2@unibo.it
 
Suggested Citation
Vladimir Zabolotskiy (2022), "Unexpectedly Mortal: The Effects of Political Violence and Commemoration on Pro-Social Behavior", Journal of Historical Political Economy: Vol. 2: No. 1, pp 65-87. http://dx.doi.org/10.1561/115.00000024

Publication Date: 21 Feb 2022
© 2022 V. Zabolotskiy
 
Subjects
Political history,  Political economy,  Autocracy
 
Keywords
Political violencecollective memorypro-social behaviorpersistence
 

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In this article:
Introduction 
Political Repression and Collective Memory 
Data and Estimation Strategy 
Results 
Concluding Remarks 
References 

Abstract

In this paper, I address collective memory as a potential transmission vehicle and study how the commemoration of political violence might promote the associated effects. I exploit variation in the location of 1930s political arrest sites in Moscow and in the locations of memorial plaques that commemorate these arrests. I find that individuals currently residing nearby the arrest sites are less likely to engage in pro-social behavior, namely online donations. Most importantly, the effect appears insignificant in the absence of commemoration. These findings suggest that commemoration and collective memory revitalization might play a crucial role in the persistence of historical legacies even in transient communities.

DOI:10.1561/115.00000024

Companion

Journal of Historical Political Economy, Volume 2, Issue 1 Special Issue - Historical Persistence, Part II: Articles Overview
See the other articles that are part of this special issue.