Strong welfare states with stable institutions erode religious belief

Evidence

Pipa Norris and Ronald Inglehart find that strong and stable secular institutions erode religion. Religion has declined most steeply in welfare states such as Denmark, Sweden, and France. In these countries, living standards are some of the highest in the world, and government services provide a social safety net from cradle to grave. — Norenzayan, Ara, Big gods - how religion transformed…, 567

Categorization

• XREF: Supports the government-vs-God substitution thesis and connects to Inglehart’s broader secularization research. — connects to: Wealth inequality feeds religious nationalism by making anxious publics seek authority and order — Katherine Stewart, The Power Worshippers: Inside the…, 201