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Papers, please! The effect of birth registration on child labor and education in early 20th century USA

journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-08, 16:12 authored by Sonja FagernasSonja Fagernas
A birth certificate establishes a child's legal identity and age, but few quantitative estimates of the significance of birth registration exist. Birth registration laws were enacted by U.S. states in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Using 1910–1930 census data, this study finds that minimum working age legislation was twice as effective in reducing under-aged employment if children had been born with a birth registration law, with positive implications for school attendance. There is some evidence that registration laws also improved the enforcement of schooling laws for younger children. A retrospective analysis with the 1960 census shows that the long-term effect of registration laws was to increase educational attainment by approximately 0.1 years.

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Published version

Journal

Explorations in Economic History

ISSN

0014-4983

Publisher

Explorations in Economic History

Volume

52

Page range

63-92

Department affiliated with

  • Economics Publications

Full text available

  • No

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2013-11-01

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2021-03-04

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