TY - JOUR T1 - Industrialization and Bilingualism in India JF - Journal of Human Resources JO - J Hum Resour SP - 73 LP - 109 DO - 10.3368/jhr.49.1.73 VL - 49 IS - 1 AU - David Clingingsmith Y1 - 2014/01/01 UR - http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/49/1/73.abstract N2 - Bilingualism is a distinct and important form of human capital in linguistically diverse countries. When communication among workers increases productivity, there can be economic incentives to learn a second language. I study how the growth of industrial employment increased bilingualism in India between 1931 and 1961. During that period, Indian factories were linguistically mixed. I exploit industrial clustering and sectoral demand growth for identification. The effect on bilingualism was strongest in import-competing districts and among local linguistic minorities. Bilingualism was mainly the result of learning, rather than than migration or assimilation, and was not a byproduct of becoming literate. My results shed new light on human capital investment in developing economies and on the long-run evolution of languages and cultures. ER -