Does Privatization Increase Mortality?

Abstract: We reexamine the recent and well-publicized finding that privatization increased mortality in postcommunist countries. First, we check robustness of the observed correlation to changes in model specification and address concerns about measurement of key determinants. Second, we exploit variation in privatization outcomes and mortality across Russian regions, holding constant many features of the macroeconomic and institutional environment that cannot be easily controlled for in a cross-country panel analysis.