The Legacy of Forced Assimilation Policies:Entry Barriers in the Labor Market and Anti-German Sentiments in South Tyrol

Alessandro Belmonte and Armando Di Lillo
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Armando Di Lillo: IMT Lucca

CAGE Online Working Paper Series from Competitive Advantage in the Global Economy (CAGE)

Abstract: We study the institutional determinants of ethnic conflict by exploiting a unique historical setting originated from a failed forced assimilation program, the Italianization of South Tyrol. The program imposed entry barriers, for non-Italian speakers, in the labor market for public servants. The specialization of the Italians continued until 1966 when it was put in discussion by the announcement of a reform. After 1966, we document an increase in anti-German sentiments where specialization in the public sector was more pronounced. Our results indicate that deep-rooted inter-ethnic tensions are likely to revive when historically-established economic rents of privileged ethnic groups are threatened.

Keywords: Ethnic Conflict; Assimilation; Ethno-Occupational Specialization; Economic Rents; South Tyrol History JEL Classification: D72; D74; J15; N34; J45; J71; Z13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cdm and nep-his
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