This paper analyses how pre-pandemic levels of inequality across US counties have shaped the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the incidence of protests. The results from difference-in-differences and instrumental variable models using high-frequency weekly data show that more stringent measures to contain the pandemic increased the incidence of protests, but only in US counties with high levels of inequality before the start of the pandemic where grievances may have been initially stronger. The impact of government responses to COVID-19 on protests is largely explained by adverse changes in economic conditions in counties with the highest levels of pre-pandemic inequality. Policy stringency measures were also associated with more protests in the most unequal counties which voted for the Republican party in the 2016 elections and exhibited, at the start of the pandemic, lower levels of trust in the president and lower satisfaction with democracy.

中文翻译：

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封锁和动荡：COVID-19 期间的不平等、限制和抗议


本文分析了美国各县大流行前的不平等水平如何影响 COVID-19 大流行对抗议活动发生率的影响。使用高频每周数据的双重差分和工具变量模型的结果表明，更严格的遏制大流行的措施增加了抗议活动的发生率，但仅限于大流行开始前不平等程度较高的美国县，那里的不满情绪最初可能更强烈。政府对 COVID-19 的反应对抗议活动的影响在很大程度上是由于大流行前不平等程度最高的县的经济状况的不利变化。政策紧缩措施还与最不平等的县的更多抗议活动有关，这些县在 2016 年选举中投票给共和党，并且在大流行开始时表现出对总统的信任水平较低，对民主的满意度较低。