Late-Comers to Mass Emigration: The Latin Experience

57 Pages Posted: 27 Jun 2007 Last revised: 18 Feb 2024

See all articles by Timothy J. Hatton

Timothy J. Hatton

University of Essex - Department of Economics; Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR); IZA Institute of Labor Economics

Jeffrey G. Williamson

Harvard University - Department of Economics, Laird Bell Professor of Economics, Emeritus; Honorary Fellow, University of Wisconsin - Department of Economics; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER); Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR); IZA Institute of Labor Economics

Date Written: June 1993

Abstract

The Latin countries -- Italy, Portugal and Spain -- were industrial late-comers and only experienced mass emigration late in the 19th century. When they did join the European mass migration, they did so in great numbers. The fact that they joined the mass migrations late, that they were poor by West European standards, and that so many went to Latin America, has generated a number of debates on both sides of the Atlantic. This paper uses a late 19th century panel data set (including purchasing-power-parity adjusted real wages) for twelve European countries to find that Latin emigration behavior was no different than that of northwestern Europe: for example, Latin emigrant labor supplies were not relatively elastic, contrary to the hypothesis made famous by Sir Arthur Lewis. What made Latin experience different was the underlying economic and demographic fundamentals driving the experience.

Suggested Citation

Hatton, Timothy J. and Williamson, Jeffrey G., Late-Comers to Mass Emigration: The Latin Experience (June 1993). NBER Working Paper No. h0047, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=995453

Timothy J. Hatton (Contact Author)

University of Essex - Department of Economics ( email )

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Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

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Jeffrey G. Williamson

Harvard University - Department of Economics, Laird Bell Professor of Economics, Emeritus ( email )

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Honorary Fellow, University of Wisconsin - Department of Economics

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Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

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IZA Institute of Labor Economics

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Bonn, D-53072
Germany

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