Replication Data for: Populism, Party Ideology, and the Causes of Expropriation

What is the connection between populism, globalization, and international political economy (IPE) more broadly? Many presume that all populists oppose all forms of globalization, focusing on trade, migration, and international institutions. This paper examines the underexplored but important relationship between populism and foreign direct investment, specifically whether populists are more likely than other leaders to expropriate foreign-owned economic assets. The paper develops a theory proposing that left populists but not right populists are more likely to expropriate foreign-owned assets, to maintain their domestic political support. The paper presents new quantitative panel data on expropriations in all states from 1990-2018, finding that left populists but not right populists are significantly more likely than other leaders to expropriate. Further, neither bilateral investment treaties or domestic political institutions, such as democratic constraints, prevent left populists from expropriating. Complementing the quantitative analysis, the paper demonstrates these points with an illustrative case study of Bolivia under Evo Morales. The paper advances our understanding of the relationship between populism, globalization, and IPE, highlighting the importance of distinguishing between left and right populism and different forms of globalization.