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Discrimination and State Capacity: Evidence from WWII U.S. Army Enlistment

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  • Tabellini, Marco
  • Qian, Nancy

Abstract

This paper investigates the empirical relationship between inclusion and state capacity, as theorized by Besley and Persson (2009). We examine the impact of racial discrimination on Black U.S. military enlistment during the onset of WWII. We find that discrimination had a large and negative effect on volunteer enlistment after the Pearl Harbor attack. The result is robust to a large number of controls that account for potential confounders. The negative effect of discrimination is moderated by geographical proximity to Pearl Harbor, and is larger for educated men. We provide consistent evidence for Japanese Americans.

Suggested Citation

  • Tabellini, Marco & Qian, Nancy, 2021. "Discrimination and State Capacity: Evidence from WWII U.S. Army Enlistment," CEPR Discussion Papers 16718, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:16718
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    State capacity; War; Institutions;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
    • N92 - Economic History - - Regional and Urban History - - - U.S.; Canada: 1913-
    • P16 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Capitalist Economies - - - Capitalist Institutions; Welfare State

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