The Empire is Dead, Long Live the Empire! Long‐Run Persistence of Trust and Corruption in the Bureaucracy

Abstract

Do empires affect attitudes towards the state long after their demise? We hypothesize that the 
\nHabsburg Empire with its localized and well-respected administration increased citizens’ trust in 
\nlocal public services. In several Eastern European countries, communities on both sides of the 
\nlong-gone Habsburg border have been sharing common formal institutions for a century now. 
\nIdentifying from individuals living within a restricted band around the former border, we find 
\nthat historical Habsburg affiliation increases current trust and reduces corruption in courts and 
\npolice. Falsification tests of spuriously moved borders, geographic and pre-existing differences, 
\nand interpersonal trust corroborate a genuine Habsburg effect. 
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