Full Citation

Title: Agricultural Diversity, Structural Change, and Long-Run Development: Evidence from the United States

Citation Type: Journal Article

Publication Year: 2022

ISBN:

ISSN:

DOI: 10.1257/MAC.20190285

NSFID:

PMCID:

PMID:

Abstract: This paper examines the role of agricultural diversity in the process of development. Using data from US counties and exploiting climate-induced variation in agricultural production patterns, I show that mid-nineteenth-century agricultural diversity had positive l ong-run effects on population density and income per capita. During the Second Industrial Revolution, agricultural diversity fostered industrialization, diversification within manufacturing, patent activity, formation of new labor skills, and the expansion of knowledge- and skill-intensive industries. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that diversity spurs the acquisition of new ideas and new skills because of the presence of c ross-sector spillovers and complementarities

Url: https://www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/mac.20190285

User Submitted?: No

Authors: Fiszbein, Martin

Periodical (Full): American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics

Issue: 2

Volume: 14

Pages: 1-43

Data Collections: IPUMS USA - Ancestry Full Count Data, IPUMS NHGIS

Topics: Labor Force and Occupational Structure, Natural Resource Management

Countries: