A Capacity for War: Armed Conflict, Administrative Capacity, and Health Outcomes

This manuscript extends the study of administrative capacity to one of its possible boundary conditions—war. Beyond the battlefield, armed conflicts affect the broader health of civilian populations. Such conflicts stress a nation’s health-care infrastructure, requiring a multi-pronged approach in allocating resources and responding to shocks. Using panel data encompassing 186 countries over two decades, the study reveals the role of administrative capacity in mitigating the health consequences of violent conflicts. Specifically, states with strong control over corruption and efficient resource allocation can buffer the adverse effects of violent conflict on both infant mortality and life expectancy.