Emily Berg, Rodrigo Gonzalez,and Morgan Williams

Economic Development and International Politics

INAF 100-14

Question

How does a government's domestic policies affect flag coloration?

Hypothesis More democracy more colors

Hypothesis

Examples

Brazil

China

Poland

Name Year Colors Ethfrac

Coa Dem Polity2 Ourdem

China 1949 2 0.11845

0 0 -8 0

Brazil 1992 4 0.11845

1 1 8 1

Poland 1919 2 0.02812

0 1 8 1

Methods

Research all flags

Research type of government when flag was last modifiedPolity Democracy Ourdem

Evaluate and analyze

Description of DataNegative relationship and not statistically

significant

Description of Data

Description of Data

Importance and Implications

Interesting to us Flags representative of national

identityFlags conveying messages

Vexillology

Importance and Implications

As stated by Otero (1994), “…la asunción de la bandera como símbolo del país, así como la expresión de sentimientos de apego hacia la misma.” 

“…the adoption of the flag [acts] as a symbol of the country, as well as an expression of the people’s attachment to it.”

Future Work

Focus on progression

Correlation between losing or gaining a color and change in polity/democracy

Add symbols to our study

Colors as symbols

Take It Away…

How does a government's domestic policies affect flag coloration?

We thought there was: more colors= more democratic

Our hypothesis is incorrect

Future work