, there is broad consensus that individual, well-specified and secure property rights over land improve economic outcomes. If … property rights in land are so beneficial, why are they not adopted more widely? I put forward a theory according to which …

If property rights in land are so beneficial, why are they not adopted more widely? I propose a theory based on the … labour) to achieve two goals. First, like other distortions such as taxation, limited property rights reduce peasants' income … from their own plots, generating a cheap labour force. Second, and unlike taxation, they force peasants to remain in the …

of the reason may be related to the interaction between weak institutions and trade. In particular, I construct a model … in which trade opening in societies with weak institutions (in particular autocratic and elite-controlled political … systems) may lead to worse economic policies. The reason is that general equilibrium price effects of taxation and …

Institutions that serve the interests of an elite are often cited as an important reason for poor economic performance …. This paper builds a model of institutions that allocate resources and power to maximize the payoff of an elite, but where … any group that exerts sufficient fighting effort can launch a rebellion that destroys the existing institutions. The …

of the reason may be related to the interaction between weak institutions and trade. In particular, I construct a model … in which trade opening in societies with weak institutions (in particular autocratic and elite-controlled political … systems) may lead to worse economic policies. The reason is that general equilibrium price effects of taxation and …

Institutions that serve the interests of an elite are often cited as an important reason for poor economic performance …. This paper builds a model of institutions that allocate resources and power to maximize the payoff of an elite, but where … any group that exerts sufficient fighting effort can launch a rebellion that destroys the existing institutions. The …