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Human Capital and Voting Behavior across Generations: Evidence from an Income Intervention

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  • AKEE, RANDALL
  • COPELAND, WILLIAM
  • HOLBEIN, JOHN B.
  • SIMEONOVA, EMILIA

Abstract

Despite clear evidence of a sharp income gradient in voting participation, it remains unclear whether income truly causes voting. In this article, we investigate how exogenous increases in unearned income affect voting in U.S. elections for two generations (parents and children) from the same household. In contrast to predictions made by current models of voting, we find the income shock had no effect on parents’ voting behaviors. However, we also find that increasing household income has heterogeneous effects on the civic participation of children from different socioeconomic backgrounds. It increases children’s voting propensity among those raised in initially poorer families—resulting in substantially narrowed participatory gaps. Our results are consistent with a more nuanced view of how individual resources affect patterns of voting than the dominant theoretical framework of voting—the resource model—allows. Voting is fundamentally shaped by the human capital accrued long before citizens are eligible to vote.

Suggested Citation

  • Akee, Randall & Copeland, William & Holbein, John B. & Simeonova, Emilia, 2020. "Human Capital and Voting Behavior across Generations: Evidence from an Income Intervention," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 114(2), pages 609-616, May.
  • Handle: RePEc:cup:apsrev:v:114:y:2020:i:2:p:609-616_22
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    Cited by:

    1. Jungkunz, Sebastian & Marx, Paul, 2021. "Income changes do not influence political participation: Evidence from comparative panel data," ifso working paper series 11, University of Duisburg-Essen, Institute for Socioeconomics (ifso).
    2. Salomo Hirvonen & Jerome Schafer & Janne Tukiainen, 2022. "Policy Feedback and Civic Engagement: Evidence from the Finnish Basic Income Experiment," Discussion Papers 155, Aboa Centre for Economics.
    3. Sebastian Jungkunz & Paul Marx, 2021. "Income Changes Do Not Influence Political Participation: Evidence from Comparative Panel Data," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 1129, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    4. Jungkunz, Sebastian & Marx, Paul, 2021. "Income Changes Do Not Influence Political Participation: Evidence from Comparative Panel Data," IZA Discussion Papers 14198, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. Miguel Calvin & Pilar Rey del Castillo, 2023. "A Bayesian Networks Approach for Analyzing Voting Behavior," CESifo Working Paper Series 10855, CESifo.
    6. Oskari Harjunen & Tuukka Saarimaa & Janne Tukiainen, 2021. "Love Thy (Elected) Neighbor? Residential Segregation, Political Representation and Local Public Goods," Discussion Papers 138, Aboa Centre for Economics.
    7. Fiorini, Luciana C. & Jetter, Michael & Parmeter, Christopher F. & Parsons, Christopher, 2020. "The Effect of Community Size on Electoral Preferences: Evidence From Post-WWII Southern Germany," IZA Discussion Papers 13724, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    8. Schaub, Max, 2021. "Acute Financial Hardship and Voter Turnout: Theory and Evidence from the Sequence of Bank Working Days," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 115(4), pages 1258-1274.

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