ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the authors inquire systematically into cultural effects, a cultural effect being said to occur when a different culture displays different outcomes. Outcomes in society and politics depend on several factors, one of which is culture. The set of cultural factors consists, the authors suggest, of ethnicity, religion, legacies or values. The analyses conducted at the macro level have been the broadest in terms of cultural factors covered and the set of outcome variables included. Religion impacts more on social and political outcomes than on economic outcomes. The micro-level analysis, which was very broad in its range, covered a number of different outcomes referring to the political behaviour of citizens. The independent cultural variables employed include ethnicity, religion and values. Comparing the outcomes for the six countries the authors may note that values matter more in countries such as the USA and India than in Russia.
