Andrew Leigh on The Economics of Terrorism:
Why were hardly any lives lost to suicide bombing in the 1970s, but over 10,000 in the 2000s? What makes suicide bombing so popular in the modern age?
Most people find it impossible to answer this question without using the word ‘crazy’. But a fascinating strand of research has begun to use the tools of economics to try and better understand what drives suicide attacks, and how we might stop them in the future...
Unusually for a book about terrorism, Berman keeps it in perspective. Global terrorism is not the greatest threat to the world. ... The more we can help poor governments provide basic services to their citizens, the less space we allow for radical rebels to fill the void.
I’m reminded of Chris Corrigan’s lovely “The answer, according to my daughter”—that we can keep the monsters from eating us by feeding them. It’s such wonderful logic that it obviously has to be pooh poohed.
Mark Thoma at Economist's View:
I don't know how effective this would actually be, but even if it was the best policy ever, would there be much support among conservatives for using nationalized health care, welfare, and the provision of other social services as counter-terrorism measures?
It's time we stop worrying about what conservatives think. They've had their day, and they've failed utterly.
It’s time to start doing the right thing and selling it as such--selling it to the majority of Americans, not conservatives, who believe their power resides in their ability to frighten. Unfortunately, Democrats have bought in to the scarifying, instead of developing and selling an alternative message.
Carolyn Kay
MakeThemAccountable.com