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The Cotton Harvester in Retrospect: Labor Displacement or Replacement?

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  • Peterson, Willis
  • Kislev, Yoav

Abstract

The prevailing view of new mechanical technology is that it has, in large part, pushed labor out of agriculture. An alternative hypothesis is that labor has been pulled out of agriculture by higher wages in nonfarm occupations. The mechanical cotton harvester is used to test the two hypotheses. Estimation of a simultaneous-equation model of the labor market for cotton pickers reveals 79 percent of reduction in hand picking of cotton was due to increased nonfarm wages—the pull effect; the remaining 21 percent is attributed to the decreased cost of machine harvesting—the push effect.

Suggested Citation

  • Peterson, Willis & Kislev, Yoav, 1986. "The Cotton Harvester in Retrospect: Labor Displacement or Replacement?," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 46(1), pages 199-216, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:jechis:v:46:y:1986:i:01:p:199-216_04
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    Cited by:

    1. Scott M. Swinton & Braeden Deynze, 2017. "Hoes to Herbicides: Economics of Evolving Weed Management in the United States," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 29(3), pages 560-574, July.
    2. MacDonald, James M., 2011. "Why Are Farms Getting Larger? The Case Of The U.S," 51st Annual Conference, Halle, Germany, September 28-30, 2011 115361, German Association of Agricultural Economists (GEWISOLA).
    3. Rada, Nicholas E. & Fuglie, Keith O., 2019. "New perspectives on farm size and productivity," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 147-152.
    4. Thirtle, Colin, 1988. "Induced Innovation Theory and Agricultural Development in LDCs: An Appraisal," Manchester Working Papers in Agricultural Economics 232807, University of Manchester, School of Economics, Agricultural Economics Department.
    5. Kislev, Yoav & Peterson, Willis L., 1991. "Economies Of Scale In Agriculture: A Reexamination Of The Evidence," Staff Papers 13652, University of Minnesota, Department of Applied Economics.
    6. Richard Hornbeck & Suresh Naidu, 2014. "When the Levee Breaks: Black Migration and Economic Development in the American South," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 104(3), pages 963-990, March.
    7. Swinton, Scott M. & Black, J. Roy, 2000. "Modeling Of Agricultural Systems," Staff Paper Series 11581, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
    8. Van der Sluis, Evert & Peterson, Willis L., 1998. "Cropland Diversions And Rural Nonfarm Population Change," Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Southern Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 30(2), pages 1-10, December.
    9. Van der Sluis, Evert & Peterson, Willis L., 1998. "Cropland Diversion Programs And Rural Nonfarm Population Change," Economics Staff Papers 32026, South Dakota State University, Department of Economics.

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