This paper reviews the literature concerning the evolution ofcultural traits in general and preferences in particular, and theemergence and persistence of rules or norms, from a family per-spective. In models where each person is e§ectively the clone ofan existing one (either a parent or anyone...

We show that the descendants of ancient farmers may have an interest in marrying among themselves, and thus maintaining the gendered division of labour, originally justiÖed on comparativeadvantage grounds by the advent of the plough, even after they emigrate to a modern industrial economy where...

Basu and Van (1998) show that a ban on child labour may be self-enforcing if, above the subsistence level, no amount of consumption can compensate parents for the disutility of child labour. We show that a partial ban may be self-enforcing, but a total one never is, if education is available,...

In an international duopoly with two markets and two ports, this paper investigates the role of dockworkers unionisation in affecting welfare outcomes under public and private ports, as well as in determining the endogenous choice by governments of port ownership structure. While private ports...