The Dynamic Consequences of State Building: Evidence from the French Revolution

Cédric Chambru (), Emeric Henry and Benjamin Marx ()
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Cédric Chambru: ENS de Lyon - École normale supérieure de Lyon - Université de Lyon, CERGIC - Center for Economic Research on Governance, Inequality and Conflict - ENS de Lyon - École normale supérieure de Lyon - Université de Lyon
Benjamin Marx: BU - Boston University [Boston]

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Abstract: How do radical reforms shape economic development over time? In 1790, the French Constituent Assembly overhauled the kingdom's organization to establish new local capitals. In some departments, the choice of local capitals over rival candidate cities was plausibly exogenous. We study how changes in administrative presence affect state capacity and development in the ensuing decades. In the short run, administrative proximity increases taxation and investments in law enforcement. In the long run, capitals obtain more public goods and grow faster. Our results shed light on the dynamic impacts of state building following one of history's most ambitious administrative reforms.

Keywords: France; Economic Development; Administrative Reform; State-Building; State Capacity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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Published in American Economic Review, 2024, 114 (11), pp.3578-3622. ⟨10.1257/aer.20220110⟩

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Related works:
Journal Article: The Dynamic Consequences of State Building: Evidence from the French Revolution (2024)
Working Paper: The Dynamic Consequences of State-Building: Evidence from the French Revolution (2022)
Working Paper: The Dynamic Consequences of State-Building: Evidence from the French Revolution (2022)
Working Paper: The Dynamic Consequences of State-Building: Evidence from the French Revolution (2022)
Working Paper: The dynamic consequences of state-building: evidence from the French Revolution (2022)
Working Paper: The Dynamic Consequences of State-Building: Evidence from the French Revolution (2021)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:spmain:hal-05004038

DOI: 10.1257/aer.20220110

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