January 28th 2013

Hans-Joachim Voth, ICREA professor of the Department of Economics and Business of the UPF, and Jacopo Ponticelli, PhD student in Economics of the Department of Economics and Business of the UPF, are the authors of a study selected for the Vanguardia of the Science Award 2012.

They have studied the reasons why a society remains peaceful or it tends to conflict. The researchers have analyzed twenty-eight European countries from 1919 to 2008 and eleven American countries since 1937. They have concluded that there is a clear correlation between the adoption of austerity measures and the risk of social tension.

Other indicators, such as poverty or tax increases, have less impact on conflicts. Their results are a warning to governments who decide measures to reduce the public deficit.

The study is among the eight finalists works selected by the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Vanguardia of the Science Award, a joint initiative of the Group Godó and the Catalunya-La Pedrera Foundation to support the research of excellence and to reward the best scientific research in Spain during the 2012.

People who wish to participate in the Vanguardia of the Science Award, choosing one of the eight finalists nominated, can do it through the La Vanguardia website until February 28th, voting for the best scientific research in Spain during 2012. The three investigations who obtained the greatest number of votes will be announced on the first Sunday of March.

Reference work: Ponticelli, Jacopo; Voth, Hans-Joachim. Austerity and anarchy: Budget cuts and social unrest in Europe, 1919-2008.