Networks and Political Participation after Conflict

Abstract

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This paper builds on the network model of Galeotti et al., 2010 to examine how the destruction of local infrastructure shapes social capital. In the model, voting is a coordination game with strategic complementarities, implying that denser social networks foster higher turnout. We test these predictions in the context of the 1937 attack on civilians during the Spanish Civil War, which destroyed a major coastal road and isolated nearby towns. Using proximity to the bombed road—instrumented by distance to deep water, ruggedness, and elevation, as suggested by witness reports—we show that the most affected towns subsequently displayed higher electoral participation forty years later. Ruling out alternative channels linked to economic development, we show—consistent with the model— that the effect operates through tighter social networks, with isolation emerging as the key mechanism sustaining long-term civic engagement. JEL Classification: D74, D85, N44