Forced Migration and Local Economic Development: Evidence from Postwar Hungary

Daniel Borbely; Ross McKenzie

Forced Migration and Local Economic Development: Evidence from Postwar Hungary

Daniel Borbely
, Ross McKenzie

Research output: Working paper/Preprint › Discussion paper

159 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

We investigate the persistent effects of forced migration on sending economies using the postWW2 expulsion of German minorities from Hungary as a natural experiment. We combine historical and contemporary data sources to show that, while towns heavily affected by the expulsions were quite similar to other areas in terms of economic activity and labour market composition before the war, the forced migrations led to lasting reductions in economic activity, and an increasing reliance on agricultural labour. We further show long-term negative correlations between forced migration and local trust levels, suggesting that the expulsion of Germans also affected the local social fabric. Our analysis reveals that forced migration can cause lasting
regional inequalities in sending economies.

Original language	English
Publisher	University of Strathclyde
Publication status	Published - 12 Nov 2021

Publication series

Name	Strathclyde Discussion Papers in Economics
Publisher	University of Strathclyde
No.	7
Volume	21

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth
SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities

Keywords

forced migration
regional inequality
persistence
minorities
economic development
trust

Access to Document

Borbely & Mckenzie, Discussion PaperSubmitted manuscript, 6.99 MB

Cite this

@techreport{4e72de52562745d0ae17e35ede73e8e1,

title = "Forced Migration and Local Economic Development: Evidence from Postwar Hungary",

abstract = "We investigate the persistent effects of forced migration on sending economies using the postWW2 expulsion of German minorities from Hungary as a natural experiment. We combine historical and contemporary data sources to show that, while towns heavily affected by the expulsions were quite similar to other areas in terms of economic activity and labour market composition before the war, the forced migrations led to lasting reductions in economic activity, and an increasing reliance on agricultural labour. We further show long-term negative correlations between forced migration and local trust levels, suggesting that the expulsion of Germans also affected the local social fabric. Our analysis reveals that forced migration can cause lasting regional inequalities in sending economies. ",

keywords = "forced migration, regional inequality, persistence, minorities, economic development, trust",

author = "Daniel Borbely and Ross McKenzie",

year = "2021",

month = nov,

day = "12",

language = "English",

series = "Strathclyde Discussion Papers in Economics",

publisher = "University of Strathclyde",

number = "7",

type = "WorkingPaper",

institution = "University of Strathclyde",

}

TY - UNPB

T1 - Forced Migration and Local Economic Development: Evidence from Postwar Hungary

AU - Borbely, Daniel

AU - McKenzie, Ross

PY - 2021/11/12

Y1 - 2021/11/12

N2 - We investigate the persistent effects of forced migration on sending economies using the postWW2 expulsion of German minorities from Hungary as a natural experiment. We combine historical and contemporary data sources to show that, while towns heavily affected by the expulsions were quite similar to other areas in terms of economic activity and labour market composition before the war, the forced migrations led to lasting reductions in economic activity, and an increasing reliance on agricultural labour. We further show long-term negative correlations between forced migration and local trust levels, suggesting that the expulsion of Germans also affected the local social fabric. Our analysis reveals that forced migration can cause lasting regional inequalities in sending economies.

AB - We investigate the persistent effects of forced migration on sending economies using the postWW2 expulsion of German minorities from Hungary as a natural experiment. We combine historical and contemporary data sources to show that, while towns heavily affected by the expulsions were quite similar to other areas in terms of economic activity and labour market composition before the war, the forced migrations led to lasting reductions in economic activity, and an increasing reliance on agricultural labour. We further show long-term negative correlations between forced migration and local trust levels, suggesting that the expulsion of Germans also affected the local social fabric. Our analysis reveals that forced migration can cause lasting regional inequalities in sending economies.

KW - forced migration

KW - regional inequality

KW - persistence

KW - minorities

KW - economic development

KW - trust

UR - https://www.strath.ac.uk/business/economics/research/discussionpapers/

M3 - Discussion paper

T3 - Strathclyde Discussion Papers in Economics

BT - Forced Migration and Local Economic Development: Evidence from Postwar Hungary

PB - University of Strathclyde

ER -

Forced Migration and Local Economic Development: Evidence from Postwar Hungary

Abstract

Publication series

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this