Geography, history, and economic performance : the emergence and evolution of agrarian institutions in Ecuador.

A familiar proposition from the literature on geography, institutions, and economic performance is that certain natural resources like mineral deposits or cash crops can create a "resource curse." In Ecuador, cash crops production did not create this effect. Instead, the agrarian institutions in provinces with cash crops production allowed more wealth accumulation than the institutions of the provinces where these products were not available. This paper argues that sixteenth-century population differences across Ecuadorian regions led to distinct agrarian institutions, and that the evolution of these institutions perpetuated specific economic outcomes. In particular, the Ecuadorian highlands had more extractive agricultural institutions than the coast. This institutional variation might explain why the coastal provinces rely less on agriculture today despite producing cash crops. Statistical analysis suggests that institutional differences might explain why the Ecuadorian coast has a higher per capita income and less extreme poverty than the provinces in the highlands.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters

Grantor

Baylor University.

Year dc:date.issued

2007

Author dc:creator

• Aldaz Peña, Raúl Alberto.

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• North, Charles Mark, 1964-

• Agriculture -- Economic aspects -- Ecuador.
• Institutional economics.
• Agriculture -- Ecuador -- History -- 16th century.
• Ecuador -- History -- 16th century.
• Ecuador -- Economic conditions.

Statement dc:rights

• Baylor University works are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. Contact libraryquestions@baylor.edu for inquiries about permission.

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/2104/5141

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:baylor-ir.tdl.org:2104/5141