Economics of religion on trial: how disestablishment did not lead to religious revival in the Swiss cantons of Geneva and Neuchâtel
According to ideas in contemporary economics of religion, religious disestablishment will lead to religious vitality: more strictness, more evangelising, and more growth. The present article puts this theory to the test by inspecting the historical record (1900 to the present) of the two Swiss canto...
| Published in: | Journal of contemporary religion |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Carfax Publ.
[2018]
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| In: |
Journal of contemporary religion
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| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Canton
/ Canton
/ Religion
/ Denationalization
/ Religious renewal
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| RelBib Classification: | AD Sociology of religion; religious policy KBC Switzerland |
| Further subjects: | B
regulation of religion
B Establishment of religion B economics of religion B Secularisation |
| Online Access: |
Presumably Free Access Volltext (Verlag) |
| Summary: | According to ideas in contemporary economics of religion, religious disestablishment will lead to religious vitality: more strictness, more evangelising, and more growth. The present article puts this theory to the test by inspecting the historical record (1900 to the present) of the two Swiss cantons where disestablishment went farthestGeneva and Neuchâteland by comparing them to other Swiss cantons where church and state remained closely linked. I find that the predictions of the economic model are not corroborated. Formerly established churches did not become stricter, did show increased, but relatively unsuccessful marketing efforts, did not grow, and became very poor financially. Non-established churches did not seem to benefit in any way from the disestablishment. The article makes four specific theoretical points that explain why this was the case. |
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| ISSN: | 1469-9419 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Journal of contemporary religion
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1080/13537903.2018.1469263 |