The health of nations, infectious disease and its effects on state capacity, prosperity, and stability
Abstract (Summary)
The Health of Nations: Infectious Disease and its Effects on State Capacity,
Prosperity, and Stability. Doctor of Philosophy. 1999.
Andrew Thomas Pricesmith. Department of Political Science, University of Toronto.
This thesis investigates the influence of infectious disease upon state capacity,
stability and prosperity. It argues that the increasing global proliferation of infectious
human pathogens will have a significant negative effect upon the ability of the state to
govern itself effectively, and to maximize its economic power. First, this thesis defines
the scope of the problem of emerging and re-emerging human pathogens and explores the
pathways of disease emergence. Second, it presents a methodology that includes
quantifiable measures of State Capacity, and proxy measures for the global burden of
disease. Third, it presents the findings of the correfations run on the independent and
dependent variables, and concludes that there is in fact a strong and significant negative
association between infectious disease prevalence and state capacity. Fourth, this thesis
argues that infectious disease will contribute to increasing poverty, and have a significant
negative impact on the formation and consolidation of human capital. Given that
infectious disease may generate increasing poverty and deprivation of the population,
while simultaneously reducing the state's ability to govern effectively, this may lead to
increasing levels of intra-state violence and political instability.
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Source Type:Master's Thesis
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Date of Publication:01/01/1999