Slavery
American Slaveholders Lost Their Wealth but Kept Their Political Power
In new research, Luna Bellani, Anselm Hager, and Stephan Maurer examine how the abolition of slavery after the American Civil War affected the political influence of former slaveholders. Despite the blow to their economic standing, former slaveholders maintained their electoral success, and once in office, their influence actually grew.
Do the Sons of Rich Families Recover After a Large Wealth Shock? Evidence From the US Civil War
One striking feature of many underdeveloped societies is that economic power is concentrated in the hands of very small powerful elites. Why is it...
