State capacity has become one of the most discussed concepts in development economics
and political economy. In this survey we argue that the study of economic history provides …

This review article examines the development of state capacity—the extractive and
productive power of states—in European history. To explain the historical evolution of state …

We study the direct and spillover effects of local state capacity in Colombia. We model the
determination of state capacity as a network game between municipalities and the national …

This article provides evidence from a fragile state that citizens demand more of a voice in the
government when it tries to tax them. I examine a field experiment randomizing property tax …

We investigate the role of national institutions on subnational African development in a novel
framework that accounts for both local geography and cultural-genetic traits. We exploit the …

The central question in taxation and development is:“how does a government go from
raising around 10% of GDP in taxes to raising around 40%?” This paper looks at the …

This study uses discontinuities in US strategies employed during the Vietnam War to
estimate their causal impacts. It identifies the effects of bombing by exploiting rounding …

Abstract The Black Death was the largest demographic shock in European history. We
review the evidence for the origins, spread, and mortality of the disease. We document that it …

We present new evidence about the long‐run relationship between state capacity–the fiscal
and administrative power of states–and economic performance. Our database is novel and …

Abstract The Protestant Reformation is one of the defining events of the last millennium.
Nearly 500 years after the Reformation, its causes and consequences have seen a renewed …