We examine the effects of irrigation technology subsidies using a model of inter- temporal common pool groundwater use with substitutable technology and declining yields from groundwater stocks, where pumping cost and stock externalities arise from the common property problem. We employ an...

The environment in which local governments, particularly smaller more rural governments operate, has undergone fundamental changes. What was once modest part-time volunteer service by civic-minded persons has been transformed into complex, time consuming political environments. As the...

We consider a political economy where government cares about risk-averse farmers’ loss of income and yet incurs political cost if it provides monetary support to farmers. Government evaluates three options: 1) ex-post disaster aid; 2) ex-ante insurance option with perfect information; 3)...

Despite the presumed importance of a strong state in the development process, there has been very little empirical work assessing the state’s ability to exercise power in isolated areas and understanding the means through which the state exerts that power. This paper begins to fill this gap in...