Working Paper: CEPR ID: DP8935
Authors: Nico Voigtländer; Hans-Joachim Voth
Abstract: In this paper, we assess the determinants of long-run persistence of local culture, and examine the success of policy interventions designed to change attitudes. We analyze anti-Semitic attitudes drawing on individual-level survey results from Germany?s social value survey in 1996 and 2006. On average, we find that historical voting patterns for anti-Semitic parties between 1890 and 1933 are powerful predictors of anti-Jewish attitudes today. There is evidence that transmission takes place both vertically (parent to child) and horizontally (among peers). Policy modified German views on Jews in important ways: The cohort that grew up under the Nazi regime shows significantly higher levels of anti-Semitism. After 1945, the victorious Allies implemented denazification programs in their zones of occupation. We use differences in these policies between the occupying powers as a source of identifying variation. The US and French zones today still show high anti-Semitism, reflecting an ambitious botched attempt at denazification. In contrast, the British and Soviet zones, register much lower levels of Jew-hatred.
Keywords: antisemitism; attitudes; cultural transmission
JEL Codes: N44; Z1
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| historical voting patterns for antisemitic parties (1890-1933) (N93) | contemporary antisemitic attitudes (J15) |
| historical voting patterns for antisemitic parties (1890-1933) (N93) | municipalities with higher levels of antisemitism (H70) |
| denazification policies (P26) | changes in antisemitic attitudes (J79) |
| American zone of occupation (N14) | higher levels of antisemitism today (J79) |
| British and Soviet zones (P30) | lower levels of antisemitism today compared to American zone (N34) |
| historical antisemitic voting (K16) | contemporary antisemitic attitudes (J15) |