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The Effect of Labor Migration on the Diffusion of Democracy: Evidence from a Former Soviet Republic

Author

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  • Toman Barsbai

    (Kiel Institute for the World Economy - Kiel Institute for the World Economy)

  • Hillel Rapoport

    (EUI - European University Institute, PSE - Paris School of Economics - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris sciences et lettres - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - ENPC - École des Ponts ParisTech - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement, CES - Centre d'économie de la Sorbonne - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Migration Policy Center)

  • Andreas Steinmayr

    (University of Munich)

  • Christoph Trebesch

    (University of Munich, CESifo - Center for Economic Studies and Ifo for Economic Research - CESifo Group Munich)

Abstract

Migration contributes to the circulation of goods, knowledge, and ideas. Using community and individual-level data from Moldova, we show that the emigration wave that started in the late 1990s strongly affected electoral outcomes and political preferences in Moldova during the following decade, eventually contributing to the fall of the last Communist government in Europe. Our results are suggestive of information transmission and cultural diffusion channels. Identification relies on the quasiexperimental context and on the differential effects arising from the fact that emigration was directed both to more democratic Western Europe and to less democratic Russia.

Suggested Citation

  • Toman Barsbai & Hillel Rapoport & Andreas Steinmayr & Christoph Trebesch, 2014. "The Effect of Labor Migration on the Diffusion of Democracy: Evidence from a Former Soviet Republic," Université Paris1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (Post-Print and Working Papers) halshs-01306803, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:cesptp:halshs-01306803
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://shs.hal.science/halshs-01306803
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    emigration; political institutions; elections; social networks; information transmission; cultural diffusion;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F22 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Migration
    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • O1 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development

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