Chinese Sojourn Labor and the American Transcontinental Railroad

Scott Alan Carson

Journal of Institutional and Theoretical Economics (JITE), 2005, vol. 161, issue 1, 80-102

Abstract: This paper considers the institutional arrangements and labor market forces that interacted in the construction of America's transcontinental railroad. The demand for Chinese laborers on the transcontinental railroad was a product of a complex set of relationships, including the transaction costs of turnover costs, labor queuing and demand-side learning. Institutions that facilitated the supply of Chinese workers included the Chinese Six Companies. The influences of external factors, such as the discovery of gold in California, construction of America's transcontinental railroad, and racial prejudice are also considered.

JEL-codes: J15 J22 J61 J70 N20 N21 N25 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2005
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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