The Origins of Governments: From Amorphy to Anarchy and Hierarchy
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The Origins of Governments : From Amorphy to Anarchy and Hierarchy. / Baker, Matthew; Bulte, Erwin; Weisdorf, Jacob Louis.
Cph. : Department of Economics, University of Copenhagen, 2006.Research output: Working paper › Research
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RIS
TY - UNPB
T1 - The Origins of Governments
T2 - From Amorphy to Anarchy and Hierarchy
AU - Baker, Matthew
AU - Bulte, Erwin
AU - Weisdorf, Jacob Louis
N1 - JEL Classification: D74, O10, N4
PY - 2006
Y1 - 2006
N2 - We analyze development trajectories of early civilizations where population size and technology are endogenous, and derive conditions under which such societies optimally “switch” from anarchy to hierarchy – when it is optimal to elect and support a ruler. The ruler provides an efficient level of law and order, but creams off part of society’s surplus for his own consumption. Switching to hierarchy occurs if the state of technology exceeds a threshold value, but societies may also be “trapped” at lower levels of technology – perpetuating conditions of anarchy. We present empirical evidence based on the Standard Cross Cultural Sample that support the model’s main predictions
AB - We analyze development trajectories of early civilizations where population size and technology are endogenous, and derive conditions under which such societies optimally “switch” from anarchy to hierarchy – when it is optimal to elect and support a ruler. The ruler provides an efficient level of law and order, but creams off part of society’s surplus for his own consumption. Switching to hierarchy occurs if the state of technology exceeds a threshold value, but societies may also be “trapped” at lower levels of technology – perpetuating conditions of anarchy. We present empirical evidence based on the Standard Cross Cultural Sample that support the model’s main predictions
KW - Faculty of Social Sciences
KW - origins of institutions
KW - common defense
KW - raiding
KW - hunter-gatherers
KW - SCCS
M3 - Working paper
BT - The Origins of Governments
PB - Department of Economics, University of Copenhagen
CY - Cph.
ER -
ID: 313260