The Political Effects of Immigration: Culture or Economics?

54 Pages Posted: 15 May 2021 Last revised: 5 Dec 2024

See all articles by Alberto F. Alesina

Alberto F. Alesina

Harvard University - Department of Economics; Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR); National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Marco Tabellini

Harvard Business School

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Abstract

We review the growing literature on the political effects of immigration. After a brief summary of the economics of immigration, we turn to the main focus of the paper: how immigrants influence electoral outcomes in receiving countries, and why. We start from the "standard" view that immigration triggers political backlash and raises support for nativist, anti-immigrant political parties. We present evidence from a variety of studies that the causes of natives' political discontent are unlikely to have (solely) economic roots, but are instead more tightly linked to cultural and social concerns. Next, we discuss works that paint a more nuanced picture of the effects of immigration, which, in some cases, can move natives' preferences in a more liberal direction. We also consider the factors that can explain a seemingly puzzling empirical regularity: the anti-immigration rhetoric has become a banner of right wing parties. We conclude by outlining what, to us, are promising avenues for future research.

Keywords: culture, diversity, immigration, politics

JEL Classification: D72, J11, J15, J61, Z1

Suggested Citation

Alesina, Alberto F. and Tabellini, Marco, The Political Effects of Immigration: Culture or Economics?. IZA Discussion Paper No. 14354, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3846698

Alberto F. Alesina (Contact Author)

Harvard University - Department of Economics ( email )

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Marco Tabellini

Harvard Business School ( email )

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