Poverty, Education, Terrorism, Political Violence 

The paper investigates whether there is a causal link between poverty or low education and
participation in politically motivated violence and terrorist activities. After presenting a discussion of
theoretical issues, we review evidence on the determinants of hate crimes. This literature finds that the
occurrence of hate crimes is largely independent of economic conditions. Next we analyze data on
support for attacks against Israeli targets from public opinion polls conducted in the West Bank and Gaza
Strip. These polls indicate that support for violent attacks does not decrease among those with higher
education and higher living standards. The core contribution of the paper is a statistical analysis of the
determinants of participation in Hezbollah militant activities in Lebanon. The evidence we have
assembled suggests that having a living standard above the poverty line or a secondary school or higher
education is positively associated with participation in Hezbollah. We also find that Israeli Jewish settlers
who attacked Palestinians in the West Bank in the early 1980s were overwhelmingly from high-paying
occupations. The conclusion speculates on why economic conditions and education are largely unrelated
to participation in, and support for, terrorism. 

47 p.; 25 cm