Eric Hilt

Eric Hilt is Professor of Economics at Wellesley College, and a Research Associate of the NBER. Professor Hilt's work is focused on American economic history. He is Co-Editor of the Journal of Economic History.

How Post-WWII Inflation Benefited Republican Presidential Candidates

American households accumulated a large stock of savings during World War II, much of which was held in the form of war bonds. After the war, inflationary episodes eroded the purchasing power of these bonds, contributing to a backlash against the incumbent Democrats. In new research, Gillian Brunet, Eric Hilt, and Matthew S. Jaremski study the impact of post-WWII inflation on voting outcomes using data on the sales of savings bonds during the war.

A New Antitrust Under Biden? Lessons From the Presidency of Theodore Roosevelt

The early history of the Sherman Antitrust Act offers relevant insights to contemporary debates on how to best enforce antitrust laws. In fact, the...

Why Are There So Few Bankers on American Corporate Boards?

Relatively few American companies have bankers on their boards. New research reveals that bankers were commonly represented on corporate boards in the 19th century,...

Does Ownership of Financial Assets Lead Voters to Support Republicans?

Does owning financial assets lead voters to support Republicans? New research on the liberty bonds of World War I suggests the story may be...

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