We propose a model where an autocrat rules over an ethnically divided society. The dictator selects the tax rate over domestic production and the nation's natural resources to maximize his rents under the threat of a regime-switching revolution. We show that a weak ruler may let the country...

This is a critical review of the empirical literature on the relationship between violence and economic growth in Colombia, an interesting case study for social scientists studying violence, conflict, crime, and development. We argue that despite the rapid development of this literature and the...

We investigate whether and how the type of unemployment benefit institution affects productivity. We designed a field experiment to compare workers' productivity under a welfare system, where the unemployed receive an unconditional monetary transfer, with their productivity under a workfare...

We study the relationship between some of the most important recent events of the Colombian armed conflict and the foreign perception of sovereign risk, as measured by the Credit Default Swap (CDS) of the Colombian bonds. Using a recent methodology we estimate the causal effect of conflict...

We carried out a randomized controlled trial in Bogotá, the recipient of Colombia's highest number of internally displaced people (IDP), to assess whether the use of SMS to communicate eligibility to social benefits fosters the welfare of victimized internal refugees. Only a fraction of IDP are...