We investigate the impact of a large economic shock on mortality. We find that counties more exposed to a plausibly exogenous trade liberalization exhibit higher rates of suicide and related causes of death, concentrated among whites, especially white males. These trends are consistent with our...

"Some economists argue that the neoclassical growth model cannot account for the macroeconomic effects of big fiscal shocks. This paper reassesses this view. We test the theory using data from World War II, which is by far the largest fiscal shock in the history of the United States. We take...