The Labor Market and Political Effects of Automation

In the past three decades, automation has increased enormously and automation has rapidly become one of the most debated political and economic issues in many countries. Despite rising interest in the topic, little is known about the causes and consequences of automation on individual companies and individual workers. Economists Sydnee Caldwell and Marco Tabellini will examine the effects of automation on workers’ employment trajectories and their political behaviors. The project will have two stages: In the first stage, the researchers will explore how automation affects workers’ wages and employment. The second stage, they will examine the extent to which workers exposed to automation increase their support for anti-establishment politicians as well as their demand for economic protections.