US

Fogel on Slavery

Slavery in the United States was eradicated because of social and political events, not because it was an unprofitable institution for slaveholders.

Responses weighted by each expert's confidence

Participant University Vote Confidence Bio/Vote History
Acemoglu
Daron Acemoglu
MIT
Strongly Agree
10
Bio/Vote History
Alesina
Alberto Alesina
Harvard Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Altonji
Joseph Altonji
Yale
Agree
2
Bio/Vote History
Auerbach
Alan Auerbach
Berkeley
Agree
3
Bio/Vote History
Autor
David Autor
MIT
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Baicker
Katherine Baicker
University of Chicago
No Opinion
Bio/Vote History
Bertrand
Marianne Bertrand
Chicago
Agree
3
Bio/Vote History
Chetty
Raj Chetty
Harvard
Uncertain
1
Bio/Vote History
Chevalier
Judith Chevalier
Yale
Strongly Agree
9
Bio/Vote History
Currie
Janet Currie
Princeton
Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
Cutler
David Cutler
Harvard
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Deaton
Angus Deaton
Princeton
Agree
4
Bio/Vote History
Duffie
Darrell Duffie
Stanford
No Opinion
Bio/Vote History
Edlin
Aaron Edlin
Berkeley
Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
It is unusual to fight hard (and die) to preserve an unprofitable institution.
Eichengreen
Barry Eichengreen
Berkeley
Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Fair
Ray Fair
Yale
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Goldberg
Pinelopi Goldberg
Yale
Uncertain
3
Bio/Vote History
This was clearly Fogel's main thesis, but it is not uncontroversial.
Goldin
Claudia Goldin
Harvard
Strongly Agree
10
Bio/Vote History
Goolsbee
Austan Goolsbee
Chicago
Uncertain
1
Bio/Vote History
We will miss Fogel here at Chicago.
Greenstone
Michael Greenstone
University of Chicago Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Hall
Robert Hall
Stanford
Strongly Agree
10
Bio/Vote History
I would have said "Slavery was abolished because it was morally deeply wrong, not because it was in the owners' interest to free slaves"
Holmström
Bengt Holmström
MIT
No Opinion
Bio/Vote History
Hoxby
Caroline Hoxby
Stanford
Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
I read & do not research this topic, but this is my take-away from much reading. I would defer to greater experts, however.
Judd
Kenneth Judd
Stanford
Strongly Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Kashyap
Anil Kashyap
Chicago Booth
Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
Time on a Cross was very convincing -- and so disturbing to my sister-in-law that she decided not to be an econ major after reading it!
Klenow
Pete Klenow
Stanford
Agree
4
Bio/Vote History
Levin
Jonathan Levin
Stanford Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Maskin
Eric Maskin
Harvard
Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
Nordhaus
William Nordhaus
Yale
Agree
3
Bio/Vote History
Obstfeld
Maurice Obstfeld
Berkeley
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Saez
Emmanuel Saez
Berkeley
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Scheinkman
José Scheinkman
Columbia University
Strongly Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
Schmalensee
Richard Schmalensee
MIT
Strongly Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
Shin
Hyun Song Shin
Princeton Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Stokey
Nancy Stokey
University of Chicago
Strongly Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Bob Fogel, who was an exemplary scholar, a courteous colleague, and a warm, kind person. He will be greatly missed.
Thaler
Richard Thaler
Chicago Booth
Strongly Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
Fogel and Engerman make a convincing case.
Udry
Christopher Udry
Northwestern Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Zingales
Luigi Zingales
Chicago Booth Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History