The Local Memory of Repression, and Who Fights

abstract: How does the local memory of past repression affect whether individuals fight for or rebel against the government perpetrator? The authors theorize how information about past repression is transmitted across generations to shape long-run patterns of loyalty and rebellion toward the state. To assess this argument, they study how the legacies of the 1845–49 Irish Potato Famine affected the decisions of subsequent generations of Irishmen to fight for or against Britain. Leveraging data on more than 150,000 Irish combatants, the authors show that individuals in places more severely affected by the Famine fought in the pro-British Irish Militia and the British military in World War I at lower rates. By contrast, those individuals rebelled against Britain at higher rates. Additional quantitative analysis provides evidence consistent with the theoretical argument: constituencies more severely affected by the Famine were more likely to vote for the pro-Irish, anti-British Sinn Féin Party. This article demonstrates how the local memory of past repression can play a crucial role in shaping long-run patterns of participation in conflict.