The Colonial and Geographic Origins of Comparative Development

Arbeitspapier

While the direct impact of geographic endowments on prosperity is present in all countries, in former colonies, geography has also affected colonization policies and, therefore, institutional outcomes. Using non-colonized countries as a control group, I develop an empirical strategy that disentangles the partial effects of institutions and of endowments on income. I find that institutions are the main determinant of development, but that endowments have a sizeable direct impact, as well. Last, I apply the empirical strategy to examine the theories put forward by La Porta et al. (1999) and by Acemoglu et al. (2001), finding support for both theories, but also evidence that the authors' estimates are biased since they mix up the effect of the historical determinants of institutions with the sizeable direct impact of access to trade and of disease environment.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: Working Paper ; No. 09.03

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development ; Capitalist Systems: Political Economy ; Comparative Analysis of Economic Systems ; Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes ; Economic History: Agriculture, Natural Resources, Environment, and Extractive Industries: General, International, or Comparative ; Colonialism; Imperialism; Postcolonialism
• Subject: Growth ; Institutions ; Geography ; Comparative Development ; Colonialism ; Entwicklung ; Rohstoffvorkommen ; Institutionelle Infrastruktur ; Kolonialismus ; Weltwirtschaftsordnung ; Süd-Nord-Gefälle ; Welt

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Auer, Raphael
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Swiss National Bank, Study Center Gerzensee
• (where): Gerzensee
• (when): 2009

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/128053
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:43 AM CET