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Politics and Institutional change: The Water Commission Act of 1913

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  • Mark Kanazawa

    (Carleton College)

  • Mark T. Kanazawa

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 20th century California, finding evidence of both party ideology and interest group influence in establishing a new system for administering appropriative water rights.

Suggested Citation

  • Mark Kanazawa & Mark T. Kanazawa, 2025. "Politics and Institutional change: The Water Commission Act of 1913," Working Papers 2025-01, Carleton College, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:avv:wpaper:2025-01
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    File URL: https://digitalcommons.carleton.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1022&context=econ_repec
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • N11 - Economic History - - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics; Industrial Structure; Growth; Fluctuations - - - U.S.; Canada: Pre-1913
    • N51 - Economic History - - Agriculture, Natural Resources, Environment and Extractive Industries - - - U.S.; Canada: Pre-1913
    • Q25 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Renewable Resources and Conservation - - - Water
    • K11 - Law and Economics - - Basic Areas of Law - - - Property Law

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