This paper challenges the received view that pins the adoption of labor regulation before 1914 on domestic forces, particularly the rises in income and voter turnout. Building on standard state-year event history analysis, we find that trade was also a main pathway of diffusion. Countries that traded with each other were more likely to establish a level playing field. The transmission mechanism was strongest in north-west Europe because intra-industry trade was significant in the region. When states failed to emulate the superior labor regulations of their most important trading partners, they left themselves vulnerable to embargos and sanctions on their exports. Threats of market loss were not credible in the New World because it exported mainly primary products and prices were fixed by world demand and supply. Domestic forces trumped international pressures to converge, with the result that labor regulation developed more slowly in regions of new settlement than in the European core.
Download Info
To download:
If you experience problems downloading a file, check if you have the
proper application to
view it first. Information about this may be contained
in the File-Format links below. In case of further problems read
the IDEAS help
page. Note that these files are not on the IDEAS
site. Please be patient as the files may be large.
As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to look for a different version under "Related research" (further below) or search for a different version of it.
Publisher Info
Paper provided by National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc in its series NBER Working Papers with number
15374.
Length: Date of creation: Sep 2009 Date of revision: Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:15374
Note: DAE Contact details of provider: Postal: National Bureau of Economic Research, 1050 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A. Phone: 617-868-3900 Email: Web page: http://www.nber.org More information through EDIRC
For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its listing, contact: ().
Related research
Keywords:
Find related papers by JEL classification: J8 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Standards N3 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Income, and Wealth N40 - Economic History - - Government, War, Law, and Regulation - - - General, International, or Comparative N70 - Economic History - - Economic History: Transport, International and Domestic Trade, Energy, and Other Services - - - General, International, or Comparative
This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports: