The Generational Impact of Wars on Economies
What are the micro and macroeconomic effects of wars? Does examining the case of the Vietnam War reveal the generational impacts of war on economies? What factors might explain these outcomes?
By: Julian Olsen-Pendergast
Examine whether the extensive U.S. bombing campaign during the Vietnam War has left lasting impacts on economic development in Vietnam. The paper "The Long-Run Impact of Bombing in Vietnam" by Edward Miguel and Gerard Roland uses detailed data on bomb intensity across various districts to investigate potential "poverty traps," where war damage may have kept specific areas impoverished for decades. Do their findings confirm their initial hypothesis, or do they indicate a need for alternative approaches to explain the Vietnam War's generational economic effects?
Watch the full video analysis of Miguel and Roland's insightful 2011 paper below:
