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9/11, Foreign Threats, Political Legitimacy, and Democratic Social Institutions

Author

Listed:
  • Jon D. Wisman
Abstract
This paper reassesses the political reaction in the United States to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in terms of economics and evolutionary biology. The fact that war and its threat were ever-present in human evolution resulted in two social propensities that render society vulnerable to political manipulation. External threats dramatically heighten social cohesion as well as loyalty to leaders. In pre-state social groupings, all members could clearly witness and judge the nature of an external threat. And because leaders had to spearhead any response, they were most vulnerable to injury or death. In modern highly complex societies, by contrast, the nature of threats is less transparent, and leaders can command far from immediate danger. Consequently, in modern times, leaders can be tempted, especially in times of economic dysfunction, to generate fear of an external threat to rally support and detract attention from otherwise inadequate leadership. This paper explores these dynamics in the context of post-9/11. It concludes with reflections on the potential of democratic institutions and practices to lessen the potential for political leaders to exploit their advantages by trumping up external threats.

Suggested Citation

  • Jon D. Wisman, 2012. "9/11, Foreign Threats, Political Legitimacy, and Democratic Social Institutions," Working Papers 2012-08, American University, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:amu:wpaper:2012-08
    DOI: 10.17606/wqz7-ms46
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Edward N. Wolff, 2007. "Recent Trends in Household Wealth in the United States: Rising Debt and the Middle-Class Squeeze," Economics Working Paper Archive wp_502, Levy Economics Institute.
    2. Bart Hobijn & Erick Sager, 2007. "What has homeland security cost? an assessment: 2001-2005," Current Issues in Economics and Finance, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, vol. 13(Feb).
    3. Lane,Robert E., 1991. "The Market Experience," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521407373, October.
    4. Edward N. Wolff, 2010. "Recent Trends in Household Wealth in the United States-- Rising Debt and the Middle-Class Squeeze--An Update to 2007," Economics Working Paper Archive wp_589, Levy Economics Institute.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Ideology; fear; democracy; free-rider problem; social cohesion;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • A12 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Relation of Economics to Other Disciplines
    • N40 - Economic History - - Government, War, Law, International Relations, and Regulation - - - General, International, or Comparative
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification
    • P16 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Capitalist Economies - - - Capitalist Institutions; Welfare State

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