Schmick, Ethan
(2017)
UNIONS, PELLAGRA, AND SCHOOLS IN AMERICAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.
(Unpublished)
Abstract
This dissertation consists of three chapters. In each chapter I attempt to answer a question that pertains to the development of the American economy and also appeals to a general interest audience. I answer these questions in as straightforward of a manner as I deem possible and, when appropriate, I eschew technical details in favor of intuition.
The first chapter of this dissertation sets out to answer one of the most enduring and contentious questions in the social sciences: why is the American labor movement so weak relative to other countries? In the spirit of Olson (1965), I build and test a model of labor union formation and activity, and, in the process, put forth industrial structure (particularly firm size) as a new explanation for the relative weakness of the American labor movement.
The second chapter of this dissertation (co-authored with Karen Clay and Werner Troesken) addresses another enduring question in economic history and development: does cash cropping, and the commercialization of agriculture more generally, adversely affect nutrition? We use pellagra, a disease caused by a niacin deficiency, to study the impact of cash cropping on nutrition. Our work shows that cash cropping can displace local food production and set in- motion nutritional deficits that have long-term consequences not only for health but also for socioeconomic status.
The third chapter of this dissertation (co-authored with Allison Shertzer) addresses a controversial question in labor and education economics: do school resources improve educational and labor market outcomes? We exploit the first large expansion in school resources, which occurred between 1900 and 1930, when expenditures per student almost doubled, student- teacher ratios decreased by 20% and teacher salaries increased by a third. We find that increasing per pupil spending did, indeed, increase wages later in life. However, we find little evidence that increases in per pupil spending increased educational attainment.
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Details
| Item Type: |
University of Pittsburgh ETD
|
| Status: |
Unpublished |
| Creators/Authors: |
|
| ETD Committee: |
|
| Date: |
28 September 2017 |
| Date Type: |
Publication |
| Defense Date: |
26 May 2017 |
| Approval Date: |
28 September 2017 |
| Submission Date: |
21 June 2017 |
| Access Restriction: |
No restriction; Release the ETD for access worldwide immediately. |
| Number of Pages: |
179 |
| Institution: |
University of Pittsburgh |
| Schools and Programs: |
Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences > Economics |
| Degree: |
PhD - Doctor of Philosophy |
| Thesis Type: |
Doctoral Dissertation |
| Refereed: |
Yes |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: |
Economics, economic history, labor unions, collective action, pellagra, urban schools |
| Date Deposited: |
29 Sep 2017 00:35 |
| Last Modified: |
29 Sep 2017 00:35 |
| URI: |
http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/32517 |
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