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The Origin of the State: Land Productivity or Appropriability?

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  • Joram Mayshar
  • Omer Moav
  • Luigi Pascali

Abstract

The conventional theory about the origin of the state is that the adoption of farming increased land productivity, which led to the production of food surplus. This surplus was a prerequisite for the emergence of tax-levying elites and, eventually, states. We challenge this theory and propose that hierarchy arose as a result of the shift to dependence on appropriable cereal grains. Our empirical investigation, utilizing multiple data sets spanning several millennia, demonstrates a causal effect of the cultivation of cereals on hierarchy, without finding a similar effect for land productivity. We further support our claims with several case studies.

Suggested Citation

  • Joram Mayshar & Omer Moav & Luigi Pascali, 2022. "The Origin of the State: Land Productivity or Appropriability?," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 130(4), pages 1091-1144.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucp:jpolec:doi:10.1086/718372
    DOI: 10.1086/718372
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Esteban Muñoz-Sobrado & Amedeo Piolatto & Antoine Zerbini & Federica Braccioli, 2024. "The Taxing Challenges of the State: Unveiling the Role of Fiscal & Administrative Capacity in Development," Working Papers 1432, Barcelona School of Economics.
    2. Anderlini, L. & Felli, L. & Piccone, M., 2022. "The Emergence of Enforcement," Cambridge Working Papers in Economics 2250, Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge.
    3. Xinyu Fan & Lingwei Wu, 2023. "The Shaping Of A Gender Norm: Marriage, Labor, And Foot‐Binding In Historical China," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 64(4), pages 1819-1850, November.
    4. Bruno Morando, 2024. "Testing the GAEZ agronomic model in the fields:Evidence from Uganda," Economics Department Working Paper Series n320-24.pdf, Department of Economics, National University of Ireland - Maynooth.
    5. Germano, Fabrizio, 2022. "Entropy, directionality theory and the evolution of income inequality," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 198(C), pages 15-43.
    6. Huning, Thilo R. & Wahl, Fabian, 2023. "You reap what you know: Appropriability and the origin of European states," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    7. Cook, Nikolai & Duprey, Thibaut & Heyes, Anthony & Pelli, Martino, 2023. "The Origin of the State: Land Productivity or Appropriability?: Replication," I4R Discussion Paper Series 82, The Institute for Replication (I4R), revised 2023.
    8. Cesaratto, Sergio, 2023. "Surplus Approach and Institutions: Where Sraffa Meets Polanyi," Centro Sraffa Working Papers CSWP61, Centro di Ricerche e Documentazione "Piero Sraffa", revised 02 May 2023.
    9. Benati, Giacomo & Guerriero, Carmine & Zaina, Federico, 2022. "The origins of political institutions and property rights," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(4), pages 946-968.
    10. Obikili, Nonso, 2022. "Tubers and its Role in Historic Political Fragmentation in Africa," MPRA Paper 113201, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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