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What Did We Learn from the North American Income Maintenance Experiments? New Data and Evidence on Household Behavior and Labor Supply

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  • Riddell, Chris

    (University of Waterloo)

  • Riddell, W. Craig

    (University of British Columbia, Vancouver)

Abstract

We re-assess the consequences of a NIT for two-parent families, utilizing hitherto untapped data. The Gary and Seattle experiments fail balancing tests. In New Jersey, Denver and Manitoba we estimate far greater labor supply responses than the current consensus, with remarkable consistency in point estimates and statistical significance across experiments, genders and countries. On the other hand, using newly collected data from archival records, we estimate substantial increases in happiness, marital satisfaction, household production, and social activities in Manitoba. We also reject the contentious finding that the NIT increased marital separations in Seattle-Denver, which is driven solely by Seattle.

Suggested Citation

  • Riddell, Chris & Riddell, W. Craig, 2025. "What Did We Learn from the North American Income Maintenance Experiments? New Data and Evidence on Household Behavior and Labor Supply," IZA Discussion Papers 18174, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp18174
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • I38 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs
    • J12 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply

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