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French

Author

Listed:
  • Guillaume Blanc
  • Masahiro Kubo

Abstract

This paper studies nation-building in a fragmented society. We document the adoption of a common language and the construction of a national idenity in France. Using a natural experiment and drawing on a novel dataset on the languages spoken across municipalites on the eve of the twentieth century, we establish that state intervention in the provision of education brought homogenization. To understand why nation-building was successful, we study heterogeneity and find that elites and the demand for education were instrumental in driving assimilation. Finally, we document further impacts on identity and ideology in the twentieth century.

Suggested Citation

  • Guillaume Blanc & Masahiro Kubo, 2024. "French," Lewis Lab Working Papers Series 0002, Arthur Lewis Lab, The University of Manchester.
    • Handle: RePEc:man:allwps:0002
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    File URL: https://documents.manchester.ac.uk/DocuInfo.aspx?DocID=71637
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    nation-building; language; eeducation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • P00 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - General - - - General
    • H52 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Education
    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General
    • N40 - Economic History - - Government, War, Law, International Relations, and Regulation - - - General, International, or Comparative
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

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