A land of sages
A legacy of former elites and university professors in Vietnam
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 9813503 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Luu Duc Toan Huynh (0000-0002-3182-3320, Queen Mary University of London, corresponding author), Kiet Tuan Duong (0000-0002-1078-8079, University of York) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 99 |
| Pages | 101723 |
| Publication date | 2026-01-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Explorations in Economic History (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0014-4983 • E-ISSN: 1090-2457 |
| Publisher | Elsevier BV (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.eeh.2025.101723 |
| OpenAlex | W4416404725 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 33 |
Using a unique dataset of 3,022 elites from the Ly to Nguyen dynasties (1075–1919) and 1,324 recent associate (and full) professors (2021–2023), we find that regions with more historical elites have more modern professors. Using the distance to the school exam venue and the distance to the coastal areas as instrumental variables, we establish such a causal relationship. In addition, social capital benefits those from areas dense with historical elites. We analyze data from temples, schools, and streets named after elites to identify cultural mechanisms linking historical elites to contemporary academic roles in Vietnam. This study demonstrates the lasting impact of historical traditions on human capital today in Confucian contexts
Capital (architecture · Cultural capital · Human capital · Social capital · Social and Cultural Dynamics · Southeast Asian Sociopolitical Studies · Vietnamese History and Culture Studies
The Historical State, Local Collective Action, and Economic Development in Vietnam
Understanding Cultural Persistence and Change
Elite Recruitment and Political Stability
The Mission
Persecution Perpetuated
Long-Term Persistence
Information Technology and Economic Change
Good-Bye Lenin (or Not?)
Identity and Schooling
Political Elite in Contemporary Vietnam
Unobservable Selection and Coefficient Stability
Human Capital, the Structure of Production, and Growth
Ruggedness
What do street names tell us? The ‘city-text’ as socio-cultural data
Imputed welfare estimates in regression analysis
Family support or social support? The role of clan culture
Performance of universities in Vietnam
The long-term health impact of Agent Orange
The long-term causal effect of U.S. bombing missions on economic development
The long-run impact of bombing Vietnam
School Names as Cultural Arenas
Long Live Keju! The Persistent Effects of China’s Civil Examination System
Size and dynastic decline
Why Did the Netherlands Develop So Early? The Legacy of the Brethren of the Common Life
The Literati Revival in Seventeenth-century Vietnam
Was Weber Wrong? A Human Capital Theory of Protestant Economic History
Elites and the expansion of education in nineteenth-century Sweden
Books without Borders
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |