Do disasters affect policy priorities? Evidence from the 2010 Chilean Earthquake

Disasters can destroy and damage private property like houses and public property like roads, schools, and hospitals. Do people prioritize the distribution of both private and public goods after being exposed to these negative events? How long do these priorities last after disasters? Using ten surveys spanning four years — half conducted before and half after the 2010 Chilean earthquake — and a difference-in-differences design, I find that exposure to this disaster makes people care more only about housing but not about crucial public goods also affected by the earthquake such as infrastructure and transportation. Additionally, these effects on policy priorities vanished after two years. These findings further our understanding of citizens’ policy priorities after shocks that severely deteriorate people’s living conditions, such as disasters.