Abstract: Transformative political shifts, such as rising polarization, disillusionment with globalization, and the surge of radical parties, have been linked to the disappearance of manufacturing jobs in advanced economies. We argue that the political effects of deindustrialization are shaped by public policy responses. Leveraging the geographic and temporal variation in job losses and active labor […]

We investigate the effect of populism in countries experiencing severe economic inequality. We posit that left populist parties use a mix of strong redistribution policies, which tackle the roots of political dissatisfaction, and anti-elite rhetoric, which increases credibility in maintaining the electoral pledges, to build electoral support. In turn, this policy and rhetoric innovation leads […]

Abstract: While conventional wisdom views divisiveness as an obstacle to engagement among individuals belonging to different ideological camps, this article examines a mechanism that relies on such differences. In a moral trade, individuals with different beliefs exchange commitments on actions pertaining to those beliefs, in a way that is mutually beneficial. If structured correctly, Democrats […]