Violence and long run economic growth in the United States using improved data measurement

We examine the patterns of lethal socio-political violence in the United States during the period between 1930 and 2025 and estimate their impact on income growth. The predominant type of violence shifted from riots to terrorism over time. Whereas such incidents were heavily concentrated in the south before the 1960s, they spread to all regions by the twenty-first century. Using improved data measurement and applying a difference-in-differences approach designed for multiple types of events, we find that overall socio-political violence had a significant adverse effect on the growth of personal incomes.