通往希特勒之路
Highway to Hitler
American Economic Journal: Applied Economics · 2025 · [{"name": "Nico Voigtländer", "affiliation": ["University of California, Los Angeles"]}, {"name": "Hans-Joachim Voth", "affiliation": ["University of Zurich"]}]
中文摘要
我们发现,纳粹德国高速公路网的建设提升了民众对阿道夫·希特勒的支持,从而有助于巩固纳粹独裁统治。直接的地方经济收益难以解释这一效应;相反,它反映了成功的宣传:该政权将高速公路描绘为经济复苏与紧缩终结的象征。在高速公路建设与收音机普及率较高相重合的地区,以及在政治不稳定的地区,支持度的上升尤为显著。我们的研究结果表明,当选民被引导将可见的基础设施项目与经济进步和政治不稳定的终结联系起来时,这类项目能够提升对专制政权的支持。(JEL D72, E32, H54, N44, N94, R42, R53)
Abstract
We show that the building of the Autobahn network in Nazi Germany boosted popular support for Adolf Hitler, helping to entrench the Nazi dictatorship. Direct local economic benefits are unlikely to explain the effect. Instead, it reflects successful propaganda: The regime portrayed the Autobahn as a symbol of recovery and the end of austerity. Support rose particularly strongly where highway construction coincided with greater radio availability and in politically unstable regions. Our findings suggest that visible infrastructure projects can raise support for autocratic regimes when voters are led to associate them with economic progress and an end to political instability. (JEL D72, E32, H54, N44, N94, R42, R53)