Colonial Theories of Institutional Development ― Toward a Model of Styles of Imperialism

This book analyzes the role played by initial endowments and colonizer identity in seeking to explain institutional development in former colonies. It presents a model of two styles of imperialism that integrates the colonial origin and endowment views explaining current institutions. The authors argue that Great Britain and Portugal adopted an ‘economically-oriented’ style, which was pragmatic and sensitive to initial conditions. For this style of imperialism the endowment view is applicable. In contrast, France employed a ‘politically-oriented’ style of imperialism, in which ideological and political motivations were more present. This led to a uniform colonial policy that largely disregarded initial endowments. In turn, the case of Spain represents a hybrid of the two models. The empirical analysis presented here reveals a remarkable degree of heterogeneity in the relationship of endowments and colonizer identity with current institutions. 

Diego Romero-Avila is Associate Professor at Pablo de Olavide University. He has been Research Fellow at the European Central Bank, Visiting Professor at Vienna University of Economics and Business, and External Consultant at the World Bank. His research interests lie in the fields of Macroeconomics and Development Economics. He has published articles in such academic journals as International Economic Review, Journal of the European Economic Association, Journal of Economic Growth, Journal of Law and Economics, Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, and Economic Inquiry, among others.

Daniel Oto-Peralias is Assistant Professor at St Andrews University School of Management. He holds university degrees in Management and Business Administration and in Law, and has conducted postgraduate studies in economics and politics. He received his PhD from Pablo de Olavide University (Spain) in June 2014. His research focuses on the fields of law and finance and economic development, particularly on the role played by inequality and institutions in economic activity and welfare, paying special attention to the historical processes involved. Daniel has contributed to many economics conferences and has published articles in prestigious economic journals such as Journal of the European Economic Association, Journal of Economic Growth, Journal of Money, Credit, and Banking, and Journal of Law and Economics. During 2016 he undertook consultancy work for the World Bank on the subject of law and development.?