Social Policy and Reciprocity—Evidence from East German Administrative Data

This paper studies the role of social policy in shaping citizen-state relations under autocratic rule. I argue that social policies can increase political support especially when they signal recognition—of citizens’ needs, burdens and social identities. To examine this argument, I focus on the introduction of extended maternity leave in former East Germany, a policy that extended material benefits but also signaled attentiveness to women’s dual roles as workers and caregivers. Using administrative data on civilian bureaucrats, I show that women giving birth after the policy reform saw a surge in membership of the ruling party compared to women giving birth shortly before. I also find suggestive evidence of gendered spillovers: first, affected grandmothers were more likely to become members, but not grandfathers. Second, in presentday surveys, likely affected daughters lean more towards left-wing ideology.