The political economy of trade and migration: Evidence from the U.S. Congress

Maurizio Zanardi, Giovanni Facchini, Paola Conconi and Max Steinhardt ()

No 9270, CEPR Discussion Papers from Centre for Economic Policy Research

Abstract: We systematically examine the drivers of U.S. congressmen's votes on trade and migration reforms since the 1970's. Standard trade theory suggests that reforms that lower barriers to goods and migrants should have similar distributional effects, hurting low-skilled U.S. workers while benefitting high-skilled workers. In line with this prediction, we find that House members representing more skilled-labor abundant districts are more likely to support both trade and migration liberalization. Still, important differences exist: Democrats favor trade reforms less than Republicans, while the opposite is true for immigration reforms; welfare state considerations and network effects shape support for immigration, but not for trade.

Keywords: Roll-call votes; Trade reforms; Immigration reforms (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: F1 F22 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012-12
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-int, nep-mig and nep-pol
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (19)

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Related works:
Journal Article: The political economy of trade and migration: Evidence from the U.S. Congress (2020)
Working Paper: The Political Economy of Trade and Migration: Evidence from the U.S. Congress (2020)
Working Paper: The political economy of trade and migration: evidence from the US Congress (2018)
Working Paper: The political economy of trade and migration: evidence from the U.S. Congress (2018)
Working Paper: The political economy of trade and migration:Evidence from the U.S. Congress (2013)
Working Paper: The Political Economy of Trade and Migration: Evidence from the U.S. Congress (2012)
Working Paper: The political economy of trade and migration: Evidence from the U.S. Congress (2012)
Working Paper: The political economy of trade and migration: Evidence from the US Congress (2012)
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