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UID:20250923T224327EDT-4597BUN4zx@132.216.98.100
DTSTAMP:20250924T024327Z
DESCRIPTION:Leander Heldring (Oxford/BRIC)\n	Date: January 17\, 2020\n	Time a
 nd Location: 10:00 a.m.\, Leacock 429\n\nAbstract:\n	In this paper we show 
 that states form to overcome the adverse effects of environmental change. 
 In a panel dataset of settlement\, state formation\, and public good provi
 sion in southern Iraq between 5000BCE and today\, we estimate the effect o
 f a series of river shifts. We hypothesize that a river shift creates a co
 llective action problem in communally organizing irrigation\, and creates 
 demand for a state. We show four main results. First\, a river shift negat
 ively affects settlement density\, and therefore incentivizes canal irriga
 tion. Second\, a river shift leads to state formation\, centralization of 
 existing states\, and the construction of administrative buildings. Third\
 , these states raise taxes\, and build canals to replace river irrigation.
  Finally\, where canals are built\, river shifts no longer negatively affe
 ct settlement. Our results support a social contract theory of state forma
 tion: citizens faced with a collective action problem exchange resources a
 nd autonomy for public good provision.\n
DTSTART:20200117T150000Z
DTEND:20200117T163000Z
LOCATION:Leacock 429\, Leacock Building\, CA\, QC\, Montreal\, H3A 2T7\, 85
 5 rue Sherbrooke Ouest
SUMMARY:Leander Heldring (Oxford/BRIC)\, “Institutional Adaptation to Envir
 onmental Change”  
URL:/economics/channels/event/leander-heldring-oxfordb
 ric-institutional-adaptation-environmental-change-305558
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