You’ve only talked about transitions (which are always bloody) and fallout from transitions , while people adjust. I’d rather hear about the actual differences in living conditions under the different political systems once they’ve stabilised.
I don’t know enough about it, but it might be interesting to compare living conditions of Rome under democratic rule vs during the years of empire.
Rome was never a democracy in anything like the sense we understand it (only a tiny proportion of the population could vote, certain level of wealth was required to run for office etc.). But in general democracies seem to have higher living standards, While obviously its difficult to control for other factors, natural experiments might be different states in south america and africa which moved to democracy at different times.
You’ve only talked about transitions (which are always bloody) and fallout from transitions , while people adjust. I’d rather hear about the actual differences in living conditions under the different political systems once they’ve stabilised.
I don’t know enough about it, but it might be interesting to compare living conditions of Rome under democratic rule vs during the years of empire.
Rome was never a democracy in anything like the sense we understand it (only a tiny proportion of the population could vote, certain level of wealth was required to run for office etc.). But in general democracies seem to have higher living standards, While obviously its difficult to control for other factors, natural experiments might be different states in south america and africa which moved to democracy at different times.