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Politics and institutional change: The Water Commission Act of 1913

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  • Mark T. Kanazawa

    (Carleton College)

Abstract

Economists have long argued that increasing resource scarcity can lead to more clearly defined individual property rights, but the precise mechanism whereby this occurs remains unclear to this day. This paper documents the role of politics in shaping the creation of individual property rights within the context of appropriative water law in early 20 th century California, finding evidence of interest group influence in establishing a new system for administering appropriative water rights. It also presents evidence on subsequent irrigation development that is consistent with the influence of irrigating farmers on creation of the new system

Suggested Citation

  • Mark T. Kanazawa, 2024. "Politics and institutional change: The Water Commission Act of 1913," Working Papers 2024-02, Carleton College, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:avv:wpaper:2024-02
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    File URL: https://digitalcommons.carleton.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1021&context=econ_repec
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • Q15 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Land Ownership and Tenure; Land Reform; Land Use; Irrigation; Agriculture and Environment
    • K11 - Law and Economics - - Basic Areas of Law - - - Property Law

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