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Can kings create towns that thrive? The long-term implications of new town foundations

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  • Cermeño, Alexandra L.
  • Enflo, Kerstin

Abstract

We examine the long-term effects of a series of Swedish towns founded by the Crown during the early modern period. Their advantage over rural parishes consisted in having monopoly rights to trade with the local hinterland. Since the optimum sites were occupied by medieval towns, the Crown could only aim for second-rate locations. Using difference-in-difference combined with Propensity Score Matching, we find that a reduction in the distance to town increased gross production and population up to 30–40 km away. However, there is no evidence of increasing per capita production or yields. These natural constraints could only support a sluggish growth in the towns themselves. However, after the Industrial Revolution, the towns began to thrive. We argue that town status signalled the commitment of the Crown to nurture these locations creating positive expectations despite their natural constraints. During industrialization, agglomeration economies led them to become significantly large urban areas persistent until today.

Suggested Citation

  • Cermeño, Alexandra L. & Enflo, Kerstin, 2019. "Can kings create towns that thrive? The long-term implications of new town foundations," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 50-69.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:juecon:v:112:y:2019:i:c:p:50-69
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jue.2019.06.001
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Barsanetti, Bruno, 2021. "Cities on pre-Columbian paths," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).
    2. Mario F. Carillo, 2022. "Fascistville: Mussolini’s new towns and the persistence of neo-fascism," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 27(4), pages 527-567, December.
    3. Kerstin Enflo & Anna Missiaia, 2020. "Between Malthus and the industrial take‐off: regional inequality in Sweden, 1571–1850," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 73(2), pages 431-454, May.
    4. Hanlon, W.Walker & Heblich, Stephan, 2022. "History and urban economics," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    5. Jedwab, Remi & Johnson, Noel D. & Koyama, Mark, 2022. "Medieval cities through the lens of urban economics," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    6. Carillo, Mario Francesco, 2018. "Fascistville: Mussolini's New Towns and the Persistence of Neo-Fascism," MPRA Paper 96236, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 03 Oct 2019.
    7. Siodla, James, 2021. "Firms, fires, and firebreaks: The impact of the 1906 San Francisco disaster on business agglomeration," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    8. CERMEÑO, Alexandra L. & SANTIAGO-Caballero, Carlos, 2023. "Closing the price gap - Von Thünen applied to wheat markets in 18th century Spain," CEI Working Paper Series 2023-01, Center for Economic Institutions, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    9. Bosker, Maarten, 2022. "City origins," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).

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