This paper studies the effects of descent rules on human capital accumulation. We exploit a policy experiment in Ghana …-landed households. This evidence is consistent with the fact that before the reform matrilineal groups in Ghana "over-invested" in …

and productivity growth is low. We apply our theory to the windfalls of Norway, Iraq and Ghana. The optimal size of Ghana …’s liquidity fund is tiny even with high prudence. Norway’s liquidity fund is bigger than Ghana’s. Iraq’s liquidity fund is … to invest. We illustrate how this can speed up the process of development in Ghana despite domestic absorption …

randomly gave cash and in-kind grants to male- and female-owned microenterprises in urban Ghana. Our findings cast doubt on the …