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The Value of a Statistical Life in a Dictatorship: Evidence from Stalin

Author

Listed:
  • Weber, Shlomo
  • Castaneda Dower, Paul
  • Markevich, Andrei
Abstract
We examine the value of a statistical life (VSL) in inter-war Soviet Union. Our approach requires to address the preferences of Stalin. We model these on the basis of the policy of statistical repression, which was an integral part of the Great Terror. We use regional variation in the victims generated by this policy to structurally estimate the value that Stalin would have been willing to accept for a reduction in citizens’ fatality risk. Our estimate of this value is $43,151, roughly 6% of the VSL estimate in 1940’s US and 29% of the VSL estimate in modern India.

Suggested Citation

  • Weber, Shlomo & Castaneda Dower, Paul & Markevich, Andrei, 2018. "The Value of a Statistical Life in a Dictatorship: Evidence from Stalin," CEPR Discussion Papers 12814, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:12814
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    1. Andrei Markevich, 2016. "Repressions and Punishment Under Stalin: Evidence from the Soviet Archives," Studies in Economic History, in: Jari Eloranta & Eric Golson & Andrei Markevich & Nikolaus Wolf (ed.), Economic History of Warfare and State Formation, pages 117-132, Springer.
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    18. Gregory, Paul & Sonin, Konstantin & Schrôder, Philipp, 2006. "Dictators, Repression and the Median Citizen: An ?Eliminations Model? of Stalin?s Terror (Data from the NKVD Archives)," CEPR Discussion Papers 6014, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
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    24. Jonathan M. Lee & Laura O. Taylor, 2019. "Randomized Safety Inspections and Risk Exposure on the Job: Quasi-experimental Estimates of the Value of a Statistical Life," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 11(4), pages 350-374, November.
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    26. repec:reg:rpubli:282 is not listed on IDEAS
    27. H. Spencer Banzhaf, 2009. "Objective or Multi-Objective? Two Historically Competing Visions for Benefit-Cost Analysis," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 85(1), pages 3-23.
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    2. Thomas J. Kniesner, 2019. "Behavioral economics and the value of a statistical life," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 58(2), pages 207-217, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Value of a statistical life; Autocracy; Dictatorship; Stalin; Great terror;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J17 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Value of Life; Foregone Income
    • I30 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General
    • N44 - Economic History - - Government, War, Law, International Relations, and Regulation - - - Europe: 1913-
    • P51 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Comparative Economic Systems - - - Comparative Analysis of Economic Systems

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