社會資本、政體類型與新冠肺炎中的疫苗接種：87個國家／地區的初探

Social Capital, Regime Types, and COVID-19 Vaccinations: A Pilot Study of 87 Countries/regions

本文初探各國社會資本、政體與新冠肺炎疫苗接種普及率與進度的關聯性。筆者關注社會資本的不同要素是否有助於各國推行疫苗接種；此外，社會資本能否作為解釋政體在疫苗接種差異的來源，特別是民主、非民主國家的區隔。本研究建置涵蓋世界價值觀調查、自由之家與疫苗接種資訊的87個國家資料庫進行實證分析。分析結果顯示制度信心如預期地對疫苗接種普及率有顯著正向效應；規範認知則對疫苗接種達標風險率有顯著負向影響，與社會資本的理論相悖。其次，不論疫苗接種普及率與達標風險率的分析，都顯示社會資本能作為解釋政體與疫苗接種關聯性的連結之一，符合「民主國家的社會資本機制」預期。結合普及率與進度兩面向，本文嘗試釐清社會資本、政體類型與新冠肺炎疫苗接種之間的關聯性，研究發現應能有助於理解各國新冠肺炎疫苗接種的概況、社會資本的效應與後果，以及民主體制對疫情的應對。

This paper explores why some countries share higher COVID-19 vaccinations than others. The author addresses how social capital and regime types are associated with the rate and speed of vaccination in countries. It is argued that elements of social capital are not only able to promote the vaccinations, but also be one of mediating factors that account for the differences between types of political regimes in vaccination. Country data on social capital and political regimes is linked to data on COVID-19 vaccinations in 87 countries (including a few regions). The results report that confidence in state institutions, as expected, increases the rate; but perceptions of norms are unanticipated to decrease the speed. Moreover, social capital plays a mediating role in the relationship between types of political regimes and the vaccinations, supporting the‘social-capital mechanism in democracies’hypothesis. By analyzing both the rate and speed of vaccination, this study presents the linkages of social capital and regime types to COVID-19 vaccinations.
The findings contribute to our understanding of COVID-19 vaccinations in countries, the effects and consequences of social capital, as well as the response of democracies during the pandemic.