In this article the author takes a look through Utah’s history with Mormonism as a theocracy through economic lens. In this case specifically it talks about the supply-side theory in which, “1) State monopoly churches inhibit religious mobilization since they cannot meet the needs of every market segment. (2) The weakening of church-state ties results in nascent religious pluralism and/or schism within the monopoly church. (3) Sustained religious freedom eventually supplants large market share churches with numerous specialized competitors.” It goes through the history of how religious figures had power over the common people for example local bishops had power over the local water supply. Soon there was a decline in mormonism popularity slightly in the 1850s in which the church decided to reform, “During the reformation, church leaders visited Mormon settlements and chastised members for neglecting ecclesiastical duties, defiling the Sabbath, ignoring church dietary restrictions, and skipping church meetings (Sessions 1982)”. Due to the increase in population and just the decrease of mormonism more churches began to arise and yet the church’s influence on politics stayed the same, “However, this paper shows that the decline of Mormon theocracy neither impelled Utah’s religious economy toward market equilibrium, nor permanently reduced Mormonism’s market share in the state”. What leads to this according to the article is pervasive religious endogamy (mormons marrying mormons), denominational distinctiveness (majority of the religions in the state are Christain), and high birth rates.
