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The Dynamics of State Policy Liberalism, 1936–2014

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  • Devin Caughey
  • Christopher Warshaw

Abstract

Applying a dynamic latent‐variable model to data on 148 policies collected over eight decades (1936–2014), we produce the first yearly measure of the policy liberalism of U.S. states. Our dynamic measure of state policy liberalism marks an important advance over existing measures, almost all of which are purely cross‐sectional and thus cannot be used to study policy change. We find that, in the aggregate, the policy liberalism of U.S. states steadily increased between the 1930s and 1970s and then largely plateaued. The policy liberalism of most states has remained stable in relative terms, though several states have shifted considerably over time. We also find surprisingly little evidence of multidimensionality in state policy outputs. Our new estimates of state policy liberalism have broad application to the study of political development, representation, accountability, and other important issues in political science.

Suggested Citation

  • Devin Caughey & Christopher Warshaw, 2016. "The Dynamics of State Policy Liberalism, 1936–2014," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 60(4), pages 899-913, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:amposc:v:60:y:2016:i:4:p:899-913
    DOI: 10.1111/ajps.12219
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    Cited by:

    1. Gupta, Kuhika & Nowlin, Matthew C. & Ripberger, Joseph T. & Jenkins-Smith, Hank C. & Silva, Carol L., 2019. "Tracking the nuclear ‘mood’ in the United States: Introducing a long term measure of public opinion about nuclear energy using aggregate survey data," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    2. Karatekin, Canan & Marshall Mason, Susan & Latner, Michael & Gresham, Bria & Corcoran, Frederique & Hing, Anna & Barnes, Andrew J., 2023. "Is fair representation good for children? effects of electoral partisan bias in state legislatures on policies affecting children's health and well-being," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 339(C).
    3. Caitlin Knowles Myers, 2022. "Confidential and legal access to abortion and contraception in the USA, 1960–2020," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 35(4), pages 1385-1441, October.
    4. Henry S Farber & Daniel Herbst & Ilyana Kuziemko & Suresh Naidu, 2021. "Unions and Inequality over the Twentieth Century: New Evidence from Survey Data," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 136(3), pages 1325-1385.
    5. Timothy Callaghan & Steven Sylvester, 2019. "Autism spectrum disorder, politics, and the generosity of insurance mandates in the United States," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(5), pages 1-22, May.
    6. O'Brien, Rourke & Bair, Elizabeth F. & Venkataramani, Atheendar S., 2022. "Death by Robots? Automation and Working-Age Mortality in the United States," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 59(2), pages 607-628.
    7. Shazia, Farhan, 2024. "Crime and covenants," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    8. Gregory J. Wawro & Ira Katznelson, 2020. "American political development and new challenges of causal inference," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 185(3), pages 299-314, December.
    9. Myers, Caitlin Knowles, 2022. "Confidential and legal access to abortion and contraception in the United States, 1960-2020," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1073, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    10. Dodge Cahan & Niklas Potrafke, 2021. "The Democrat-Republican presidential growth gap and the partisan balance of the state governments," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 189(3), pages 577-601, December.
    11. Scott J. LaCombe, 2021. "Measuring Institutional Design in U.S. States," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 102(4), pages 1511-1533, July.
    12. Hongchang Wang & Eric Overby, 2023. "Do Political Differences Inhibit Market Transactions? An Investigation in the Context of Online Lending," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 69(8), pages 4685-4706, August.
    13. Parrish Bergquist & Christopher Warshaw, 2023. "How climate policy commitments influence energy systems and the economies of US states," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.

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