Evidence that local exposure to Chinese import competition favors right-wing parties has often been attributed to the success of economic nationalism. We advance an alternative account. Trade shocks catalyze cultural backlash, which drives support for conservative candidates, as they compete...

Fiscal consolidation often entails balanced budget requirements (BBRs) for local governments. However, little is known about the effects of BBRs on economic activity, as most quasi-experimental estimates of local fiscal multipliers stem from windfall expansionary shocks. This paper studies the...