On the economic effects of Indigenous institutions: evidence from Mexico

Elizalde, A. (2020) On the economic effects of Indigenous institutions: evidence from Mexico. Journal of Development Economics, 147, 102530. (doi: 10.1016/j.jdeveco.2020.102530)

Abstract

While Indigenous institutions affect policy outcomes and, consequently, economic development, our understanding of this association is as yet unclear. This paper examines this relationship using land reform in Mexico as a case study. Between 1917 and 1992, the rights to 16 million hectares of ancestral land were transferred to the Indigenous population in the form of land plots known as Comunidades Agrarias. By exploiting novel panel data for 13,600+ municipality-census observations, I find that ancestral land redistribution was more successful in municipalities with more complex Indigenous institutions. I hypothesise that centralised societies would have been more politically cohesive and therefore better able to coordinate collective actions against the state. The economic gains of the restoration policy were mainly found in the area of education.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: Financial support from the British Academy is gratefully acknowledged via the British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Elizalde, Dr Aldo
• Authors: Elizalde, A.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > Adam Smith Business School > Economics
• Journal Name: Journal of Development Economics
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 0304-3878
• ISSN (Online): 1872-6089
• Published Online: 06 August 2020
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V.
• First Published: First published in Journal of Development Economics 147: 102530
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy