The Department of Economics Theory, History and Development Workshop Series presents

"Indigenous Origins of Colonial Institutions"
Luz Marina, Arias

Wednesday, May 11, 2011
3:30-5:00 p.m.
Social Science Plaza B, Room 3266
 
Differences in colonial institutions appear to explain divergent patterns of political and economic development across former colonies. However, the origins of colonial institutions are not well understood. Marina hypothesizes that variation in colonial labor institutions can be explained by both pre-colonial indigenous governance and the resource promise of colonies. Marina derives the hypotheses using a game-theoretic framework that emphasizes constraints facing profit-maximizing colonists, indigenous leaders and workers. Marina tests the hypotheses using an original dataset of natural resources and labor and tribute institutions from the pre-colonial and colonial periods for 454 sub-national territories in the Americas. The findings suggest that differences in political and economic development today may predate European colonialism.

For further information, please contact Gloria Simpson, simpsong@uci.edu.