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Historical Frontiers and the Rise of Inequality: The Case of the Frontier of Granada

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  • Daniel Oto-Peralías
  • Diego Romero-Ávila

Abstract

This paper explores the political economy that leads frontier regions to be unequal. By focusing on the presence of a stable frontier between Castile and the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada in the late Middle Ages, our analysis shows how a historical border may generate differences in inequality that can become extremely persistent. We argue that the dynamics of being a militarily insecure frontier region created the conditions on the Castilian side for a high concentration of economic and political power. Through the application of a border specification and a spatial regression discontinuity design to municipal-level data, we find that municipalities on the Castilian side have a significantly higher percentage of landless workers, a greater accumulation of wealth, and more jurisdictional rights among the privileged orders, as measured in the 18th century. We use current indicators of land inequality and development to show that the effect of the frontier of Granada persists even today.

Suggested Citation

  • Daniel Oto-Peralías & Diego Romero-Ávila, 2017. "Historical Frontiers and the Rise of Inequality: The Case of the Frontier of Granada," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 15(1), pages 54-98.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:jeurec:v:15:y:2017:i:1:p:54-98.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/jeea/jvw004
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Francesco Cinnirella & Alireza Naghavi & Giovanni Prarolo, 2023. "Islam and human capital in historical Spain," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 28(2), pages 225-257, June.
    2. Stelios Michalopoulos & Elias Papaioannou, 2018. "Spatial Patterns of Development: A Meso Approach," Annual Review of Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 10(1), pages 383-410, August.
    3. Christian Ochsner & Felix Rösel, 2017. "Activated History - The Case of the Turkish Sieges of Vienna," CESifo Working Paper Series 6586, CESifo.
    4. Daniel Oto-Peralías, 2023. "Communal lands and social capital: A case study," Working Papers 23.09, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Department of Economics.
    5. Evan Wigton-Jones, 2020. "Legacies of inequality: the case of Brazil," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 25(4), pages 455-501, December.
    6. Focacci, Chiara Natalie & Kovac, Mitja & Spruk, Rok, 2023. "Ethnolinguistic diversity, quality of local public institutions, and firm-level innovation," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    7. Beltrán Tapia, Francisco J. & Martinez-Galarraga, Julio, 2018. "Inequality and education in pre-industrial economies: Evidence from Spain," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 81-101.
    8. Robbert Maseland & Rok Spruk, 2023. "The benefits of US statehood: an analysis of the growth effects of joining the USA," Cliometrica, Springer;Cliometric Society (Association Francaise de Cliométrie), vol. 17(1), pages 49-89, January.
    9. Oto-Peralías, Daniel & Cuberes, David, 2023. "Land Concentration and Mega Photovoltaic Plants," OSF Preprints hakt5, Center for Open Science.
    10. Giuseppe Albanese & Guido DeBlasio & Lorenzo Incoronato, 2021. "Hooked on a subsidy: transfers and preferences for State intervention," Discussion Paper series in Regional Science & Economic Geography 2021-02, Gran Sasso Science Institute, Social Sciences, revised Feb 2021.
    11. Oto-Peralías, Daniel, 2020. "Frontiers, warfare and economic geography: The case of Spain," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    12. Oto-Peralías, Daniel, 2019. "Delegation of Governmental Authority in Historical Perspective: Lordships, State Capacity and Development," SocArXiv k8mzr, Center for Open Science.
    13. Guzi, Martin & Huber, Peter & Mikula, Štěpán, 2021. "The long-term impact of the resettlement of the Sudetenland on residential migration," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • C14 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Semiparametric and Nonparametric Methods: General
    • N2 - Economic History - - Financial Markets and Institutions
    • N9 - Economic History - - Regional and Urban History
    • O1 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development

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