War of the Waves: Radio and Resistance during World War II

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Gagliarducci, Stefano; Onorato, Massimiliano Gaetano; Sobbrio, Francesco; Tabellini, Guido
• 署名单位: University of Rome Tor Vergata; University of Rome Tor Vergata; University of Bologna; Luiss Guido Carli University; Leibniz Association; Ifo Institut; Bocconi University; Bocconi University; Centre for Economic Policy Research - UK
• 刊物名称: AMERICAN ECONOMIC JOURNAL-APPLIED ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 1945-7782
• DOI: 10.1257/app.20190410
• 发表日期: 2020
• 页码: 1-38
• 关键词: media

摘要

We analyze the role of the media in coordinating and mobilizing insurgency against an authoritarian regime, in the context of the Nazi fascist occupation of Italy during WWII. We,study the effect of BBC radio on the intensity of internal resistance. By exploiting variations in monthly sunspot activity that affect the sky-wave propagation of BBC broadcasting toward Italy, we show that BBC radio had a strong impact on political violence. We provide further evidence to document that BBC radio played an important role in coordinating resistance activities but had no lasting role in motivating the population against the Nazi fascist regime.