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Slavery, education, and inequality

Author Info

Listed author(s):
  • Bertocchi, Graziella
  • Dimico, Arcangelo

Abstract

We investigate the effect of slavery on the current level of income inequality across US counties. We find that a larger proportion of slaves over population in 1860 persistently increases inequality, and in particular inequality across races. We also show that a crucial channel of transmission from slavery to racial inequality is human capital accumulation, i.e., current inequality is primarily influenced by slavery through the unequal educational attainment of blacks and whites. Finally, we provide suggestive evidence that the underlying links run through the political exclusion of former slaves and the resulting negative influence on the local provision of education.

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File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0014292114000695
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Article provided by Elsevier in its journal European Economic Review.

Volume (Year): 70 (2014)
Issue (Month): C ()
Pages: 197-209

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Handle: RePEc:eee:eecrev:v:70:y:2014:i:c:p:197-209
DOI: 10.1016/j.euroecorev.2014.04.007
Contact details of provider: Web page: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/eer

Keywords: Slavery; Inequality; Education; Institutions;

Other versions of this item:

Find related papers by JEL classification:
  • E02 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General - - - Institutions and the Macroeconomy
  • D02 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Institutions: Design, Formation, Operations, and Impact
  • H52 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Education
  • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
  • O11 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development

References listed on IDEAS
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  3. Nathan Nunn, 2008. "The Long-term Effects of Africa's Slave Trades," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 123(1), pages 139-176.
  4. Robert A. Margo, 1990. "Race and Schooling in the South, 1880-1950: An Economic History," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number marg90-1.
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  29. repec:mod:depeco:0001 is not listed on IDEAS
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Blog mentions

As found by EconAcademics.org, the blog aggregator for Economics research:
  1. On the consequences of slavery
    by Economic Logician in Economic Logic on 2010-11-30 15:31:00
  2. Creations of history
    by chris dillow in Stumbling and Mumbling on 2011-02-01 15:34:53
  3. The Legacy of Slavery
    by Ariel Goldring in Free Market Mojo on 2010-11-09 14:00:22
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