The Impact of Religion and Ideology on Country’s Economic Growth: A Case Study of Wukari Local Government Area, Taraba State
Article Sidebar
Page Numbers:
646-664
Digital Object Identifier:
10.58578/mjms.v3i3.6809
Viewed: 365 times
Downloaded: 125 times
LYAS Publisher cordially invites qualified professionals to serve as Editors or Reviewers. Your expertise will make an important contribution to maintaining and strengthening the academic quality of our publications. Interested applicants are kindly requested to complete the application form at the following link: Editors & Reviewers
Please feel free to contact us if you need any further information about the submission process or if you have any additional questions.
Authors:
Clement Wilson1*, Okeke E. N2, Clement Akobi3 
Copyright :
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication.
Main Article Content
Abstract
This study examines the influence of religion and ideology on economic growth in Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba State, Nigeria. Recognizing that religious beliefs and ideological values shape social cohesion, governance, and individual behavior, the research investigates how these factors contribute to local economic dynamics. A multi-stage cluster sampling technique was used to select ninety respondents across nine villages, representing Christianity, Islam, and African Traditional Religion. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics and multinomial logistic regression. The findings reveal that religious teachings and ideological orientations significantly shape economic behavior and perceptions of development. Specifically, religion promotes ethical values, work discipline, and social capital, generating both direct and indirect effects on economic growth. The regression model confirmed a statistically significant relationship between religious ideology and perceived economic advancement. However, the influence of religion can either facilitate or hinder economic progress, depending on how it is interpreted and applied. The study concludes that integrating religious values into economic planning in a balanced way can strengthen development outcomes. It recommends that policymakers and religious leaders foster inclusive, growth-oriented interpretations of faith and ideology to enhance sustainable economic development in the region.
Downloads
Article Details
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
References
Acemoglu, D., & Robinson, J. A. (2021). The narrow corridor: States, societies, and the fate of liberty. Penguin Books.
Adeleke, A. T. (2023). Religion, ideology, and economic discontent in Nigeria: Revisiting the resource curse. Journal of African Development Studies, 18(2), 45–61.
Arrunada, B. (2010). Protestant ethic, religion, and economic development. Economic Journal, 120(547), 709–736.
Barro, R. J., & McCleary, R. M. (2020). Religion and economic growth across countries. American Economic Review: Papers and Proceedings, 110(2), 153–158.
Becker, S. O., & Wossmann, L. (2012). Luther and literacy: Human capital formation through religious reformation. American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, 2(3), 58–93.
Boulding, K. (2021). Religion and economics: Human motivations for social change. Economics & Society Press.
Grier, R. M. (1997). The effect of religion on economic development: A cross-national study of 63 former colonies. Kyklos, 50(1), 47–62.
Guiso, L., Sapienza, P., & Zingales, L. (2021). People ’s opium revisited: The role of religion in economic attitudes. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 35(1), 41–66.
James, P., & Mandaville, P. (2020). Global political Islam. Routledge.
McCleary, R. M., & Barro, R. J. (2015). Religious belief, regulation, and government quality. Journal of Comparative Economics, 43(2), 365–382.
Molloy, M. (2018). Experiencing the world ’s religions: Tradition, challenge, and change (7th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
Noland, M. (2005). Religion, culture, and economic performance. World Development, 33(8), 1215–1232.
Nwosu, I. K., & Akintunde, R. O. (2023). Political ideology and religious nationalism in Nigeria: Implications for development. African Journal of Political Economy, 29(1), 112–130.
Paden, W. E. (2022). Interpreting the sacred: Ways of viewing religion (2nd ed.). Princeton University Press.
Putnam, R. D. (2022). The upswing: How America came together a century ago and how we can do it again. Simon & Schuster.
Ruffle, B. J., & Sosis, R. (2003). Does it pay to pray? Evaluating the economic return to religious ritual. The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, 3(1), 1–31.
Salihu, M. S., & Ibrahim, A. M. (2022). Religion, extremism and economic insecurity in northern Nigeria. Contemporary African Studies Review, 10(3), 27–48.
Shouler, K. (2021). The everything world ’s religions book: Explore the beliefs, traditions, and cultures of ancient and modern religions. Adams Media.
Von Mises, L. (2019). The anti-capitalistic mentality. Liberty Fund.
Weber, M. (1905/2002). The Protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism. Routledge Classics.