Name
Sydney Roseman
Class
INTA 4500
About the Project
Despite decades of rising prosperity, Americans fill their churches at rates that defy global patterns. While most wealthy nations have seen religious participation plummet, the United States is a compelling outlier in the relationship between economic development and secularization. To shed light on this puzzle, I conducted a comparative analysis of the U.S., Canada, and Australia, examining how differences in welfare expenditure shape religious participation. I chose these countries due to their Anglo-Saxon origins, free-market capitalist institutions, and comparable geographic size, allowing for a controlled analysis. Despite their similarities, my findings were striking: Americans maintain significantly higher church attendance than their counterparts. Among the other prosperous nations, Canada showed moderate engagement, while Australia reflected the expected secular trend. The difference? Government welfare expenditure. My findings suggest that American religiosity isn't solely about faith; it's deeply connected to the nation's limited welfare spending. Churches often function as essential support networks, offering social and cultural capital where government support is sparse. Furthermore, the prominence of religion in American society has profound political impacts—shaping both domestic and foreign policy. This research highlights how institutions influence how Americans build community and find support. By understanding these dynamics, we can better appreciate how religion serves as a unique form of social capital in the U.S., especially where traditional welfare systems fall short.
