(Forthcoming Article) - In the 4th millennium BC, our ancestors witnessed a remarkable transformation, progressing from petty chiefdoms to political states and cities. The causes of this “Urban Revolution” remain unclear. We conjecture that the discovery of bronze and the ensuing long-distance trade played a crucial role. Using novel panel data and 2SLS techniques, we demonstrate that trade corridors linking metal mines to fertile lands were more likely to experience the Urban Revolution. We propose that transit bottlenecks facilitated the emergence of a new taxing elite. We formally test this appropriability theory and provide several case studies in support.

A working paper is where research lives before the world reads it. This season, we open ours up. Working Papers is a new five-episode podcast season in which our host Tim Phillips sits down with the…

Angela Zhang wins the Douglass North Best Book Award, Matteo Tranchero the Ronald H. Coase Dissertation Award, and Ngoma, Sievert, Jaravel, Nunn and Weigel the Oliver E.…

Thank you for helping us improve the Applied Young Economists Workshop (AYEW). This should take about 5 minutes. Your responses will be used to improve future sessions and, with your permission, may b...

The Commission welcomes the political agreement reached by the European Parliament and the Council of the EU on the revision of EU air passenger rights.