Does War Foster Cooperation or Parochialism? Evidence from a Natural Experiment among Turkish Conscripts
Exploiting a natural experiment and an innovative survey design, we study the causal impact of armed conflict exposure (ACE) on the sociopolitical attitudes and behaviors of the average male randomly picked from the population. Contrary to the arguments that war fosters cooperation, we find little evidence of prosociality in exposed individuals. Instead, we document compelling evidence that ACE promotes parochialism, measured by opposition to peaceful means of conflict resolution, animosity towards minorities, and adherence to right-wing ideology. Further analyses show war-driven grievances, the normalization of violence in everyday life, and changes in parochial norms and preferences as the transmitting pathways.
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