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Postbellum Electoral Politics in California and the Genesis of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882

Author

Listed:
  • Vincent Geloso

    (Department of Economics, George Mason University)

  • Linan Peng

    (Department of Economics and Management, DePauw University)

Abstract

After the Civil War, the Democratic party carried an important electoral penalty from being associated with the war. To deal with this penalty, the party took increasingly anti-immigration positions to compete with Republicans. This led some Republican strongholds such as California to become competitive and also forced Republicans to embrace stricter immigration proposals. In this paper, we argue that adopting anti-immigration and raising awareness against immigration made California increasingly competitive in electoral terms. This electoral competitiveness can serve to explain the genesis of the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act.

Suggested Citation

  • Vincent Geloso & Linan Peng, 2021. "Postbellum Electoral Politics in California and the Genesis of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882," Working Papers 2021-02, DePauw University, School of Business and Leadership and Department of Economics and Management.
    • Handle: RePEc:dew:wpaper:2021-02
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    File URL: https://www.depauw.edu/site/learn/dew/wpaper/workingpapers/DePauw2021-02-Geloso-Peng-Postbellum-Electoral-Politics-in-California.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Immigration; Chinese Exclusion Act; Anti-Chinese Movement; Political Economy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
    • N31 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - U.S.; Canada: Pre-1913
    • H59 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Other

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