Date of Award

Spring 2025

Thesis Type

Open Access

Degree Name

Honors Bachelor of Arts

Department

Political Science

Sponsor

Dr. Dan Chong

Committee Member

Dr. Mike Gunter

Committee Member

Dr. Daniel Crozier

Abstract

Does the attempt to have legal enforcement of economic and social rights in national constitutions positively influence other development outcomes? I hypothesize that economic and social outcomes are better in countries that enshrine these rights in their constitutions, and use a mixed methods approach of quantitative and qualitative analyses to test this. This study includes a regression analysis of 52 countries correlating a summary index of the strength of constitutional rights to education, health, housing and workers' rights in 68 countries with the 2019 Social and Economic Rights Fulfillment (SERF) Index, finding no significant correlation between the variables. A second regression analysis using 71 countries’ data from the Toronto Initiative on Economic and Social Rights (TIESR) revealed similar results. A comparative analysis of Ecuador and Chile, which are similar in size and location but have contrasting SERF and TIESR scores, suggests that constitutional rights alone may not drive rights fulfillment. Factors like policy implementation, GDP, norms, and historical context could play a larger role. Regardless, a rights-based economic framework remains integral to promoting dignity and equity, and may still be the best route to shared prosperity.

Rights Holder

Arabella Arado Lilleslåtten

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