This paper investigates the macro-level determinants of social cohesion across 92 countries from 1990 to 2020. Using the system GMM dynamic panel data estimator, it finds that education, government size, globalization, and economic development positively impact social cohesion, while inflation, corruption, and income inequality have negative effects.
This paper explores the link between social cohesion and firms' access to finance in Africa, using a dataset from the Afrobarometer survey and World Bank Enterprise Surveys. It finds that trust positively correlates with financial access, while all three pillars of social cohesion enhance access to credit and loans, suggesting that improving social cohesion can boost economic development.