School Brown Bag: Gian Tedeschi

Two sides of the same coin: Co-evolution of kin ties and institutions

Abstract: This research studies the relationship between kin ties and institutions across the world and over time. The underlying hypothesis is that the scope of socio-economic relations determines both different value systems and forms of enforcement, therefore creating a trade-off between the strength of kin ties and the development of legal institutions. To address the question empirically, I first employ historical data on Malthusian-epoch societies and ethnic groups. Exploiting regional variation on the intensity and spatial correlation of climatic volatility, I show that the need to protect from different kinds of subsistence shocks leads to kinship tightness and political centralisation to move in opposite directions. I then link modern countries’ populations with the characteristics of their Malthusian-era ancestors, and use it together with country-level institutional measures from the 19th century to the present to establish that countries whose population’s ancestors were characterised by tighter kin ties are associated with institutions of significantly lower quality over time

Sandwiches will be provided from 12.30pm.