Home Sweet Home: the Effect of Sugar Protectionism on Emigration in Italy, 1876‐1913

Abstract Protectionist policies have often relevant effects at the regional level. This paper analyzes impact of sugar import duties on emigration in nineteenth century Italy. Both for climatic reasons and nature soil, cultivation processing beets was geographically concentrated. Our theoretical model illustrates how a tariff that favours local producers may affect residents' incentives to migrate abroad. Using new set historical data, predictions are tested through quasi‐experimental methods which use exogenous variation across areas estimate effect interest. Results show protectionism reduced relative incentive away from sugar‐producing areas.