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Industrialization and Bilingualism in India

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  • David Clingingsmith

Abstract

Bilingualism is a distinct and important form of human capital in linguistically diverse countries. When communication among workers increases productivity, there can be economic incentives to learn a second language. I study how the growth of industrial employment increased bilingualism in India between 1931 and 1961. During that period, Indian factories were linguistically mixed. I exploit industrial clustering and sectoral demand growth for identification. The effect on bilingualism was strongest in import-competing districts and among local linguistic minorities. Bilingualism was mainly the result of learning, rather than than migration or assimilation, and was not a byproduct of becoming literate. My results shed new light on human capital investment in developing economies and on the long-run evolution of languages and cultures.

Suggested Citation

  • David Clingingsmith, 2014. "Industrialization and Bilingualism in India," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 49(1), pages 73-109.
    • Handle: RePEc:uwp:jhriss:v:49:y:2014:i:1:p:73-109
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    2. Oliver Vanden Eynde, 2016. "Military Service and Human Capital Accumulation: Evidence from Colonial Punjab," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 51(4), pages 10031035-10.
    3. Eric Weese & Masayoshi Hayashi & Masashi Nishikawa, 2015. "Inefficiency and Self-Determination: Simulation-based Evidence from Meiji Japan," Discussion Paper Series DP2015-35, Research Institute for Economics & Business Administration, Kobe University.
    4. Clingingsmith, David, 2016. "Negative Emotions, Income, and Welfare: Casual Estimates from the PSID," SocArXiv fae4x, Center for Open Science.
    5. Clingingsmith, David, 2016. "Negative emotions, income, and welfare: Causal estimates from the PSID," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 1-19.
    6. Karthik Muralidharan & Venkatesh Sundararaman, 2013. "The Aggregate Effect of School Choice: Evidence from a Two-stage Experiment in India," NBER Working Papers 19441, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    7. Gauri Kartini Shastry, 2012. "Human Capital Response to Globalization: Education and Information Technology in India," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 47(2), pages 287-330.
    8. Clingingsmith, David, 2017. "Negative Emotions, Income, and Welfare: Causal Estimates from the PSID," SocArXiv q2mxt, Center for Open Science.
    9. de la Fuente Stevens, Diego & Pelkonen, Panu, 2023. "Economics of minority groups: Labour-market returns and transmission of indigenous languages in Mexico," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).
    10. Parshad, Rana D. & Bhowmick, Suman & Chand, Vineeta & Kumari, Nitu & Sinha, Neha, 2016. "What is India speaking? Exploring the “Hinglish” invasion," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 449(C), pages 375-389.

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