When I forget to bring my notebook to class and have to take notes on laptop :(

March 11 2019

Replication Exercise (GSI Stephanie Bonds)

Intro

• We’re learning how to do regressions
• Replicate: The Colonial Origins of Comparative Development
• Fact: Differences in income/paita and other measures of economic performance across countries
• Research Q: Effect of institions on economic performance? Hypothe: Better instititions achieve higher levels of income/capita

Premises

• Diffrerent colonization policies had diff effects on the development of institioutions
  • Extractive states (eg Belgian Congo) transferred resources colony -> host
  • Neo Europes: replicate European institions /w property rights
• Feasibility of particular seattlementinfluenced colonization strategy (eg more disease prevalence more likely to become “extractive state”
• Large body of literature that settler mortality rates were key determinant of European settlement. (eg Pilgrims -> US instead Guyana b/c more mortality in latter)
• Sources of mortality (eg yellow fever and malaria) differentiatly affected European settlers
  • Natives had higher resistance
• Theory (potential): setler mortality -> settlements -> early institutions -> current institions -> current performance

Data

• Current econ performanc/capita = 1995
• Current/past instititional quality

look at slides because i fell asleep because literally reading the paper on a projecter