The education revolution on horseback II : using the Napoleonic wars to elicit the effect of tracking on student performance

R.A. Korthals*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Working paper / PreprintWorking paper

413 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Previous literature has found inconsistent effects of tracking students in secondary school on student performance using various ways to alleviate the endogeneity in tracking. Sociological literature argues that the threat for war with and invasion by the French around the 1800s induced European countries to introduce mass public education systems. I use this theory to estimate the effect of tracking on student performance in Europe, instrumenting tracking by the political pressure caused by the Napoleonic Wars. The relation between political pressure by Napoleon and tracking is strong and leads in the second stage to a consistent positive effect of tracking on student performance. One important limitation of this analysis is that it is reasonable to assume that political pressure from Napoleon influenced many facets of European countries.
Original languageEnglish
Place of PublicationMaastricht
PublisherMaastricht University, Graduate School of Business and Economics
Number of pages33
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2016

Publication series

SeriesGSBE Research Memoranda
Number015

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'The education revolution on horseback II : using the Napoleonic wars to elicit the effect of tracking on student performance'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this