We show that history stored in collective memories and activated by political campaigns can create xenophobia and radicalization. Turkish troops besieged Vienna in 1529 and 1683 and pillaged individual Austrian villages, killing and kidnapping in the process. Attacked places remember those events well but never expressed aversion to Muslims until far-right populists started to campaign against Turks and Muslims in the mid-2000s. We find anti-Muslim sentiments and far-right voting surge in previously attacked places after the populist campaigns were launched, and Turkish communities decrease in response. Historical narratives in political campaigns can mobilize both beliefs and actions. (JEL D72, D83, J15, N43, Z12, Z13)
{"title":"Activated History: The Case of the Turkish Sieges of Vienna","authors":"Christian Ochsner, Felix Roesel","doi":"10.1257/app.20190686","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1257/app.20190686","url":null,"abstract":"We show that history stored in collective memories and activated by political campaigns can create xenophobia and radicalization. Turkish troops besieged Vienna in 1529 and 1683 and pillaged individual Austrian villages, killing and kidnapping in the process. Attacked places remember those events well but never expressed aversion to Muslims until far-right populists started to campaign against Turks and Muslims in the mid-2000s. We find anti-Muslim sentiments and far-right voting surge in previously attacked places after the populist campaigns were launched, and Turkish communities decrease in response. Historical narratives in political campaigns can mobilize both beliefs and actions. (JEL D72, D83, J15, N43, Z12, Z13)","PeriodicalId":518829,"journal":{"name":"American Economic Journal: Applied Economics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141690796","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
We study the human capital effects of access to elite bureaucratic jobs in Taiwan, where performance on an examination determines entry into the civil service. Historically, quotas for successful applicants were set based on the 1948 populations of individuals’ native provinces in mainland China. This resulted in a higher probability of success on the exam—and, thus, greater access to elite positions—for descendants of certain migrant groups. These preferential quotas were replaced in 1962 with a uniform admissions policy. Using this variation, we find that the incentives created by preferential quotas increased human capital and improved long-run economic outcomes. (JEL D73, H83, J24, J45, M51)
{"title":"The Human Capital Effects of Access to Elite Jobs","authors":"Huayu Xu, Achyuta R. Adhvaryu","doi":"10.1257/app.20220340","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1257/app.20220340","url":null,"abstract":"We study the human capital effects of access to elite bureaucratic jobs in Taiwan, where performance on an examination determines entry into the civil service. Historically, quotas for successful applicants were set based on the 1948 populations of individuals’ native provinces in mainland China. This resulted in a higher probability of success on the exam—and, thus, greater access to elite positions—for descendants of certain migrant groups. These preferential quotas were replaced in 1962 with a uniform admissions policy. Using this variation, we find that the incentives created by preferential quotas increased human capital and improved long-run economic outcomes. (JEL D73, H83, J24, J45, M51)","PeriodicalId":518829,"journal":{"name":"American Economic Journal: Applied Economics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141701842","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This paper examines whether the civil service system protected state bureaucrats from political interference following a recall petition against the governor of Wisconsin. I find that most classified workers, who were covered by the state civil service laws, were paid equally by signing status following the public disclosure of the petition list. Conversely, signers in the unclassified service, a smaller set of government positions, were paid about 3 percent less annually relative to nonsigners in the postdisclosure period. These results indicate that the civil service insulated qualified bureaucrats, while uncovered workers faced retribution. (JEL D72, D73, H75, H83, J31, J45)
{"title":"When Individual Politics Become Public: Do Civil Service Protections Insulate Government Workers?","authors":"Morgan Foy","doi":"10.1257/app.20220723","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1257/app.20220723","url":null,"abstract":"This paper examines whether the civil service system protected state bureaucrats from political interference following a recall petition against the governor of Wisconsin. I find that most classified workers, who were covered by the state civil service laws, were paid equally by signing status following the public disclosure of the petition list. Conversely, signers in the unclassified service, a smaller set of government positions, were paid about 3 percent less annually relative to nonsigners in the postdisclosure period. These results indicate that the civil service insulated qualified bureaucrats, while uncovered workers faced retribution. (JEL D72, D73, H75, H83, J31, J45)","PeriodicalId":518829,"journal":{"name":"American Economic Journal: Applied Economics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141700132","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
We use newly digitized data to study the impacts of a historical reform that mandated exams for some employees in the largest US customs-collection districts. Although the reform improved targeted employees’ professional backgrounds and reduced turnover, it did not lead to significant improvements in the cost-effectiveness of customs revenue collection. The incomplete reach of the reform was key for this partial success. First, the reform incentivized hiring in exam-exempted positions, distorting districts’ hierarchical structure. Second, since we find suggestive evidence that districts’ top managers mattered for performance, not changing their appointment method might have constituted a missed opportunity for improvement. (JEL D23, D73, H83, J45, N31, N41)
{"title":"Civil Service Exams and Organizational Performance: Evidence from the Pendleton Act","authors":"Diana B. Moreira, Santiago Pérez","doi":"10.1257/app.20220284","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1257/app.20220284","url":null,"abstract":"We use newly digitized data to study the impacts of a historical reform that mandated exams for some employees in the largest US customs-collection districts. Although the reform improved targeted employees’ professional backgrounds and reduced turnover, it did not lead to significant improvements in the cost-effectiveness of customs revenue collection. The incomplete reach of the reform was key for this partial success. First, the reform incentivized hiring in exam-exempted positions, distorting districts’ hierarchical structure. Second, since we find suggestive evidence that districts’ top managers mattered for performance, not changing their appointment method might have constituted a missed opportunity for improvement. (JEL D23, D73, H83, J45, N31, N41)","PeriodicalId":518829,"journal":{"name":"American Economic Journal: Applied Economics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141712751","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Over the last few decades, health care services in the United States have become more geographically centralized. We study how the loss of hospital-based obstetric units in over 400 counties affects maternal and infant health via a difference-in-differences design. We find that closures lead mothers to experience a significant change in birth procedures such as inductions and C-sections. In contrast to concerns voiced in the public discourse, the effects on a range of maternal and infant health outcomes are negligible or slightly beneficial. While women travel farther to receive care, closures induce women to receive higher quality care. (JEL I11, I18, J13, J16)
{"title":"Health Care Centralization: The Health Impacts of Obstetric Unit Closures in the United States","authors":"Stefanie Fischer, Heather Royer, Corey White","doi":"10.1257/app.20220341","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1257/app.20220341","url":null,"abstract":"Over the last few decades, health care services in the United States have become more geographically centralized. We study how the loss of hospital-based obstetric units in over 400 counties affects maternal and infant health via a difference-in-differences design. We find that closures lead mothers to experience a significant change in birth procedures such as inductions and C-sections. In contrast to concerns voiced in the public discourse, the effects on a range of maternal and infant health outcomes are negligible or slightly beneficial. While women travel farther to receive care, closures induce women to receive higher quality care. (JEL I11, I18, J13, J16)","PeriodicalId":518829,"journal":{"name":"American Economic Journal: Applied Economics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141715518","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Governments often privatize the administration of regulations to third-party specialists paid for by the regulated parties. We study how the resulting conflict of interest can have unintended consequences for the distributional impacts of regulation. In Massachusetts, the party responsible for hazardous waste contamination must hire a licensed contractor to quantify the environmental severity. We find that contractors’ evaluations favor their clients, exhibiting substantial score bunching just below thresholds that determine government oversight of the remediation. Client favoritism is more pronounced in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods and is associated with inferior remediation quality, highlighting a novel channel for inequities in pollution exposure. (JEL D63, J15, K32, L51, Q53, R23)
{"title":"Socioeconomic Disparities in Privatized Pollution Remediation: Evidence from Toxic Chemical Spills","authors":"J. Marion, Jeremy West","doi":"10.1257/app.20220295","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1257/app.20220295","url":null,"abstract":"Governments often privatize the administration of regulations to third-party specialists paid for by the regulated parties. We study how the resulting conflict of interest can have unintended consequences for the distributional impacts of regulation. In Massachusetts, the party responsible for hazardous waste contamination must hire a licensed contractor to quantify the environmental severity. We find that contractors’ evaluations favor their clients, exhibiting substantial score bunching just below thresholds that determine government oversight of the remediation. Client favoritism is more pronounced in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods and is associated with inferior remediation quality, highlighting a novel channel for inequities in pollution exposure. (JEL D63, J15, K32, L51, Q53, R23)","PeriodicalId":518829,"journal":{"name":"American Economic Journal: Applied Economics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141709561","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Impact evaluations of behavioral interventions typically focus on target outcomes. Might interventions induce negative spillovers on other behaviors? I run a large field experiment in which individuals receive combinations of messages and incentives promoting two healthy behaviors, meditation and meal logging. I find that the interventions reduce completion rates of the opposite behavior by 19–29 percent. I find that interventions with larger target effects do not necessarily generate larger negative spillovers, and demonstrate implications for cost-effectiveness analysis. I investigate the mechanisms behind the observed spillovers. (JEL C93, D62, D91, I12)
{"title":"Does Promoting One Healthy Behavior Detract from Others? Evidence from a Field Experiment","authors":"Hannah Trachtman","doi":"10.1257/app.20210788","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1257/app.20210788","url":null,"abstract":"Impact evaluations of behavioral interventions typically focus on target outcomes. Might interventions induce negative spillovers on other behaviors? I run a large field experiment in which individuals receive combinations of messages and incentives promoting two healthy behaviors, meditation and meal logging. I find that the interventions reduce completion rates of the opposite behavior by 19–29 percent. I find that interventions with larger target effects do not necessarily generate larger negative spillovers, and demonstrate implications for cost-effectiveness analysis. I investigate the mechanisms behind the observed spillovers. (JEL C93, D62, D91, I12)","PeriodicalId":518829,"journal":{"name":"American Economic Journal: Applied Economics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140791357","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Francisco A. Gallego, Cristian Larroulet Philippi, Andrea Repetto
This paper examines how improving dental health affects economic, social, and psychological outcomes. In a randomized experiment, we provide a low-income group free dental care, including prostheses, and find significant and persistent impacts on men’s and women’s dental and self-perceived mental health. For women, treatment generates improvement in self-esteem, a higher likelihood of smiling when photographed, short-run improvements in employment and earnings, and improvement in partner interactions. We find no impact for men in these dimensions. Heterogeneity analyses suggest that treatment effects on labor market outcomes are larger for women with more severe visible dental issues at baseline. (JEL D12, D91, I12, J16, O12)
{"title":"What’s Behind Her Smile? Health, Looks, and Self-Esteem","authors":"Francisco A. Gallego, Cristian Larroulet Philippi, Andrea Repetto","doi":"10.1257/app.20210248","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1257/app.20210248","url":null,"abstract":"This paper examines how improving dental health affects economic, social, and psychological outcomes. In a randomized experiment, we provide a low-income group free dental care, including prostheses, and find significant and persistent impacts on men’s and women’s dental and self-perceived mental health. For women, treatment generates improvement in self-esteem, a higher likelihood of smiling when photographed, short-run improvements in employment and earnings, and improvement in partner interactions. We find no impact for men in these dimensions. Heterogeneity analyses suggest that treatment effects on labor market outcomes are larger for women with more severe visible dental issues at baseline. (JEL D12, D91, I12, J16, O12)","PeriodicalId":518829,"journal":{"name":"American Economic Journal: Applied Economics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140756180","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
We examine the persistence of teachers’ gender biases by following teachers over time in different classes. We find a very high correlation of gender biases for teachers across their classes. We find a substantial impact of gender bias on student performance in university admissions exams, choice of university field of study, and quality of the enrolled program. The effects on university choice outcomes are larger for girls, explaining some gender differences in STEM majors. Teachers with lower value-added are also more likely to be gender biased. (JEL I21, I23, J16, J24, J45)
{"title":"The Short- and the Long-Run Impact of Gender-Biased Teachers","authors":"Victor Lavy, Rigissa Megalokonomou","doi":"10.1257/app.20210052","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1257/app.20210052","url":null,"abstract":"We examine the persistence of teachers’ gender biases by following teachers over time in different classes. We find a very high correlation of gender biases for teachers across their classes. We find a substantial impact of gender bias on student performance in university admissions exams, choice of university field of study, and quality of the enrolled program. The effects on university choice outcomes are larger for girls, explaining some gender differences in STEM majors. Teachers with lower value-added are also more likely to be gender biased. (JEL I21, I23, J16, J24, J45)","PeriodicalId":518829,"journal":{"name":"American Economic Journal: Applied Economics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140788955","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
We use newly collected data for 16,000 women who applied for Mothers’ Pensions, America’s first welfare program, to investigate the effect of means-tested cash transfers on lifetime family structure and maternal well-being. In the short term, cash transfers delayed marriage and lowered geographic mobility. In the long run, transfers had no impact on the probability of remarriage, spouse quality, or fertility. Cash transfers did not affect women’s well-being, measured by longevity and family income in 1940. Given the lack of significant negative behavioral impacts, the benefits of transfers appear to exceed costs if they have—even modest—positive impacts on children. (JEL I31, I32, I38, J13, J16, N32, R23)
{"title":"The Impact of Cash Transfers to Poor Mothers on Family Structure and Maternal Well-Being","authors":"Shari Jane Eli, A. Lleras-Muney","doi":"10.1257/app.20210816","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1257/app.20210816","url":null,"abstract":"We use newly collected data for 16,000 women who applied for Mothers’ Pensions, America’s first welfare program, to investigate the effect of means-tested cash transfers on lifetime family structure and maternal well-being. In the short term, cash transfers delayed marriage and lowered geographic mobility. In the long run, transfers had no impact on the probability of remarriage, spouse quality, or fertility. Cash transfers did not affect women’s well-being, measured by longevity and family income in 1940. Given the lack of significant negative behavioral impacts, the benefits of transfers appear to exceed costs if they have—even modest—positive impacts on children. (JEL I31, I32, I38, J13, J16, N32, R23)","PeriodicalId":518829,"journal":{"name":"American Economic Journal: Applied Economics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140774007","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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