Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/34928 
Year of Publication: 
2008
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 3408
Publisher: 
Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
This paper examines the role of religious denomination for human capital formation. We employ a unique data set which covers, inter alia, information on numerous measures of school inputs in 169 Swiss districts for the years 1871/72, 1881/82 and 1894/95, marks from pedagogical examinations of conscripts (1875-1903), and results from political referenda to capture conservative or progressive values in addition to the cultural characteristics language and religion. Catholic districts show on average significantly lower educational performance than Protestant districts. However, accounting for other sociocultural characteristics qualifies the role of religion for educational production. The evidence suggests that Catholicism is harmful only in a conservative milieu. We also exploit information on absenteeism of pupils from school to separate provision of schooling from use of schooling.
Subjects: 
Culture
educational production
plural identity
religious denomination
school inputs
JEL: 
I20
Persistent Identifier of the first edition: 
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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