More hands, more power? Estimating the impact of immigration on output and technology choices using early 20th century US agriculture

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Lafortune, Jeanne; Tessada, Jose; Gonzalez-Velosa, Carolina
• 署名单位: Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile; Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile; IZA Institute Labor Economics; Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile; Inter-American Development Bank
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0022-1996
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jinteco.2015.07.008
• 发表日期: 2015
• 页码: 339-358
• 关键词: Output mix; immigration; technology choice

摘要

We study the impact of immigration-induced changes in labor supply within agriculture in the US during early 20th century, a sector where shifting output mix may be easier than in previously studied industries (manufacturing), on output and production choices. We find evidence of output mix adjustments at the county-level in response to immigration as predicted by trade models. Moreover, that response is only visible in diversified counties. Counties with higher initial specialization, likely with higher degree of factor (land) specificity, responded instead through input mixes and organizational changes. Suggestive evidence indicates that crop mix adjustments alone, without organizational changes, absorbed an important part of changes in labor endowments in diversified counties. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.