Geography made rural society in the south-east of England unequal. Economies scale grain growing created a farmer elite and many landless labourers. In pastoral north-west, contrast, family farms dominated, with few hired labourers modest income disparities. Engerman Sokoloff (2012) argue that such differences social structure between large plantations southern Americas, farming north, explain rise schooling its absence south. We show, however, literacy across 1810-45 was not determined by...

We estimate the short- and long-run local labor market impacts of large increase in U.S. imports exports that occurred over 1970s. exploit sequential opening overseas shipping container ports period, which generated export import shocks were largely non-overlapping across markets thereby providing substantial variation to distinguish their effects. find average net impact on employment-to-population ratio was positive concentrated initial decade, with little longer-run impact. At same time,...

There is a dearth of systematic information about the historical New York City housing market. We present new sample containing rental price and characteristic data for 10,715 Manhattan units which was collected from newspapers period 1880–1910. These were geolocated to map Island explore their geographic coverage, using Geographic Information System (GIS) software. use this plot evolution location quality available development neighborhoods. This complements existing research on growth...

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Electricity is a general purpose technology and the catalyst for second industrial revolution. Developing countries are currently making huge investments in electrification, with view to achieving structural change. What does history say about its impact on structure of employment? We use U.S. Census data from 1910 1940 measure electrification length higher-voltage electricity lines. Instrumenting using hydroelectric potential, we find that average expansion high-voltage transmission lines...

As the United States economy grew in 1920s, both wealth and income inequality rose as well. California land values were especially volatile a variety of shocks buffeted state. This paper summarizes how these local booms affected housing by linking archival data on city property to full count 1930 census. I first characterize relationship between type shock during 1920s. Then relate real estate market swings occupational distribution within across cities 1930.

ABSTRACT Historical inequality is difficult to measure, especially at the subcountry level and beyond top income shares. This article presents new evidence on of in Manhattan from 1880 1910 using housing rents. Rental prices characteristics, including geocodable locations, were collected newspapers provide extensive geographic coverage island, relevant for overwhelming majority its population where renting predominated. provides a measure consumption household level, which helps develop...

We estimate the short- and long-run local labor market impacts of large increase in U.S. imports exports that occurred over 1970s. exploit sequential opening overseas shipping container ports period, which generated discontinuous changes trade ows. find export shock on employment, income, home rental prices were large, but short-lived, suggesting markets equilibrated quickly. The import effects also mostly we strong persistence impact prices. differences housing supply elasticities across to...

Electricity is a general purpose technology and the catalyst for second industrial revolution. What was its impact on structure of employment? We use U.S. Census data from 1910 to 1940 measure electrification with length higher-voltage electricity lines. Instrumenting using hydro-electric potential, we find that average expansion high-voltage transmission lines between increased share operatives in county by 3.3 percentage points decreased farmers 2.1 points. Electrification can explain...

Is there any return to education in criminal activities? This paper is one of the first investigate whether has not only a positive impact on legitimate, but also illegitimate activities. We use as case study longest running corporations history: Italian-American mafia. Its most successful members were capable businessmen, orchestrating crimes that required abilities might be learned at school: extracting optimal rent when setting up racket, weighting interests against default risk starting...