The Perils of Globalization: Offshoring and Economic Insecurity of the American Worker

Abstract

According to polls from the 2006 congressional elections, globalization and economic insecurity were the primary concerns of many voters. These Americans apparently believe that they have fallen victim to liberal trade polices and that inexorable trends in globalization are destroying the American Dream. In this analysis, we use time series cross-section data from the General Social Survey (GSS) to examine the links among offshoring, labor market volatility, and the demand for social insurance. Unique among the GSS literature, our analysis includes a pseudo-panel model which permits including auxiliary state and regional macroeconomic information.

Keywords: economic insecurity, globalization, labor-demand elasticity, offshoring

JEL Classification: F16, J23, C23