PIPE Workshop: Paola Giuliano (UCLA Anderson)

We study the long run effects of immigration on American political ideology. Exploiting cross-county variation in the presence of European immigrants between 1900 and 1930, we establish a novel result: historical European immigration is associated with stronger preferences for redistribution and a more liberal ideology among Americans today. We show that this pattern is driven by immigrants coming from countries with stronger preferences for redistribution, measured by the timing of adoption of social-welfare reforms. Our evidence suggests that the vertical transmission of preferences within immigrant enclaves was complemented by horizontal socialization that promoted the spillover of ideology from immigrants to natives. This process was reinforced by immigrants’ political incorporation in the Democratic voting bloc and by the election of legislators who were more likely to support pro-redistribution bills. (Joint work with Marco Tabellini)

Host or Publisher PIPE Collaborative