Replication data for: Geography, International Trade, and Political Mobilization in U.S. Industries

From studies of so-called \"Silicon Valley effects\" to regional economic development, the spatial proximity of firms has shed new light on some of the most enduring puzzles in business and economics. Yet few studies have examined whether spatial proximity leads firms with shared interests to be more active in politics. We take up this question, examining whether geographic concentration makes industries competing for export markets or against imports more likely to mobilize politically. Studying U.S. manufacturers in 1988 and 1990, we find that for such traded industries, geographic concentration strongly increases: (a) the formation of common trade policy preferences among workers; (b) voter turnout; (c) inter-firm collaboration in the form of political action committees (PACs); and (d) individual- and industry-level investment in campaign contributions. In short, geographic concentration increases political mobilization on the part of traded industries across the board.

从针对所谓‘硅谷效应’的相关研究，到区域经济发展领域，企业的空间邻近性（spatial proximity）为商业与经济学领域诸多经久不衰的核心谜题提供了全新的解读视角。然而，鲜有研究探讨空间邻近性是否会促使拥有共同利益的企业在政治活动中更为活跃。我们就此展开研究，聚焦于地理集聚是否会让那些在出口市场竞争或与进口产品抗衡的产业更易于开展政治动员。通过对1988年与1990年美国制造业企业的研究，我们发现，对于这类可贸易产业而言，地理集聚显著提升了以下几方面的表现：(a) 员工群体中共同贸易政策偏好的形成；(b) 选民投票率；(c) 以政治行动委员会（Political Action Committees，PACs）形式开展的企业间协作；(d) 个人及产业层面的竞选捐款投入。简言之，地理集聚全面提升了可贸易产业的政治动员水平。