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American Economic Review

ISSN 0002-8282 (Print) | ISSN 1944-7981 (Online)

Leaders in Social Movements: Evidence from Unions in Myanmar

  • Laura Boudreau
  • Rocco Macchiavello
  • Virginia Minni
  • Mari Tanaka
American Economic Review
vol. 115, no. 6, June 2025
(pp. 1975–2000)
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Abstract

Social movements are catalysts for crucial institutional changes. To succeed, they must coordinate members' views (consensus building) and actions (mobilization). We study union leaders within Myanmar's burgeoning labor movement. Union leaders are positively selected on both ability and personality traits that enable them to influence others, yet they earn lower wages. In group discussions about workers' views on an upcoming national minimum wage negotiation, randomly embedded leaders build consensus around the union's preferred policy. In an experiment that mimics individuals decision-making in a collective action setup, leaders increase mobilization through coordination.

Citation

Boudreau, Laura, Rocco Macchiavello, Virginia Minni, and Mari Tanaka. 2025. "Leaders in Social Movements: Evidence from Unions in Myanmar." American Economic Review 115 (6): 1975–2000. DOI: 10.1257/aer.20230758

Additional Materials

JEL Classification

  • D91 Micro-Based Behavioral Economics: Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
  • J38 Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs: Public Policy
  • J51 Trade Unions: Objectives, Structure, and Effects
  • O15 Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration