We re-examine the view that wars make strong states, taking advantage of panel data to address two of the most obvious endogeneity concerns that arise in this context: initial conditions and persistence of state capacity. Our main message is that, in modern times, there is no evidence that wars...

Colombia's unemployment rate rose to 20% during the late 1990s from less than 8% in 1994. This paper argues that this has been the result of high non-wage labor costs embodied in the legislation. The estimated own-wage labor demand elasticity is around 0.5, which implies that a reduction in...

This paper applies a simple two-factor framework that separates shifts in the relative supply of and demand for more educated workers. The results indicate that the decrease in the skill premium between 1976 and 1981 is related to the reduction in the relative demand for skilled workers, and the...

This paper analyzes the determinants of savings in Colombia using the framework of an intertemporal model. National saving partially responds to temporary changes in output, according to the permanent income hypothesis. Higher government expenditures (in relation to their permanent level) are...

This study consists of two parts: I. ) Does Independence Matter? The Case of the Colombian Central Bank, andII. ) Does Independence Improve Performance? The Colombian Superintendency of Banks. Why has Colombia been a case of low output variability and moderate-to-high inflation? This paper...

The dynamic commons problem arises when different groups in society engage in intense redistributive activity as a result of an export boom. This paper analyzes the role that institutions play in ameliorating that problem in the case of coffee and oil in Colombia. The paper presents a model that...