This paper studies the evolution of sectoral concentration in relation to the level of per capita income. We show that various measures of sectoral concentration follow a U-shaped pattern across a wide variety of data sources: countries first diversify, in the sense that economic activity is...

This Paper studies the evolution of sectoral labour concentration in relation to the level of per capita income. We show that various measures of sectoral concentration follow a U-shaped pattern across a wide variety of data sources: countries first diversify, in the sense that labour is spread...

This paper studies the barriers to the diffusion of development across countries over the very long run. We find that genetic distance, a measure associated with the amount of time elapsed since two populations' last common ancestors, bears a statistically and economically significant...

We provide new measures of ethnic, linguistic and religious fractionalization for about 190 countries. These measures are more comprehensive than those previously used in the economics literature and we compare our new variables with those previously used. We also revisit the question of the...

This paper examines the impact of trade liberalization episodes on movements of labor across sectors. The aim is to evaluate the empirical support for two classes of models: those where the effects of trade are mediated by structural change, and those where the effects of trade do not rely on...

This paper investigates the linkages between trade policy and economic growth in a panel of 57 countries, between 1970 and 1989. We develop a new measure of trade policy openness, based on the policy component of trade shares. This is used in a simultaneous equations system aimed at identifying...