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Family Values and the Regulation of Labor

Author

Listed:
  • Alberto Alesina

    (Department of Economics, Harvard University - Harvard University)

  • Yann Algan

    (ECON - Département d'économie (Sciences Po) - Sciences Po - Sciences Po - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, CEPREMAP - Centre pour la recherche économique et ses applications - ECO ENS-PSL - Département d'économie de l'ENS-PSL - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres)

  • Pierre Cahuc

    (X - École polytechnique - IP Paris - Institut Polytechnique de Paris, ENSAE Paris - École Nationale de la Statistique et de l'Administration Économique, CREST - Centre de Recherche en Economie et Statistique [Bruz] - ENSAI - Ecole Nationale de la Statistique et de l'Analyse de l'Information [Bruz])

  • Paola Giuliano

    (UCLA Anderson School of Management)

Abstract
To be efficient, flexible labor markets require geographically mobile workers. Otherwise firms can take advantage of workers' immobility and extract rents at their expense. In cultures with strong family ties, moving away from home is costly. Thus, to limit the rents of firms and to avoid moving, individuals with strong family ties rationally choose regulated labor markets, even though regulation generates higher unemployment and lower incomes. Empirically, we find that individuals who inherit stronger family ties are less mobile, have lower wages and higher unemployment, and support more stringent labor market regulations. We find a positive association between labor market rigidities at the beginning of the 21st century and family values prevailing before World War II, and between family structures in the Middle Ages and current desire for labor market regulation. Both results suggest that labor market regulations have deep cultural roots.

Suggested Citation

  • Alberto Alesina & Yann Algan & Pierre Cahuc & Paola Giuliano, 2015. "Family Values and the Regulation of Labor," Post-Print hal-03568223, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-03568223
    DOI: 10.1111/jeea.12121
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://sciencespo.hal.science/hal-03568223
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Regulation of labor; Family values; Labor market; Market regulation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E0 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General
    • P16 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Capitalist Economies - - - Capitalist Institutions; Welfare State
    • Z10 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - General
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

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