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Flooding Away the Economic Gains from Transport Infrastructure: Evidence from Colonial Jamaica

Author

Listed:
  • Joel Huesler

    (University of Bern)

  • Eric Strobl

    (University of Bern)

Abstract

We investigate how the frequent flooding that damaged the internal transport infrastructure in late 19th and early 20th colonial Jamaica affected local economies. To this end the evolution of the road and railways transport system was geo-referenced and combined with geo-localized damaging flood events, as well as with information on local economic activity proxied by internal tax revenue. Econometric analysis on our 30 year parish level time varying data set shows that lower market access from the flood disruptions to transport reduced tax revenue on average by 3.5%, and during some incidences up to 9.1%, over its two year impact. Decomposing the tax data by source suggests that both the property and the non-agricultural service sectors suffered after damaging floods. In contrast, flood disruptions benefited the agricultural sector, although only agricultural traders and not producers appear to have gained from investments in the transport network in general.

Suggested Citation

  • Joel Huesler & Eric Strobl, 2024. "Flooding Away the Economic Gains from Transport Infrastructure: Evidence from Colonial Jamaica," Working Papers 0268, European Historical Economics Society (EHES).
    • Handle: RePEc:hes:wpaper:0268
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    File URL: https://www.ehes.org/wp/EHES_268.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. de Soyres, François & Mulabdic, Alen & Ruta, Michele, 2020. "Common transport infrastructure: A quantitative model and estimates from the Belt and Road Initiative," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
    2. Bogart, Dan & You, Xuesheng & Alvarez-Palau, Eduard J. & Satchell, Max & Shaw-Taylor, Leigh, 2022. "Railways, divergence, and structural change in 19th century England and Wales," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    3. Jeremy Atack & Robert A. Margo, 2009. "Agricultural Improvements and Access to Rail Transportation: The American Midwest as a Test Case, 1850-1860," NBER Working Papers 15520, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Fernihough, Alan & Lyons, Ronan C., 2022. "Agglomeration and Emigration: The Economic Impact of Railways in Post-Famine Ireland," CEPR Discussion Papers 17759, Centre for Economic Policy Research.
    5. L. Alan Winters & Antonio Martuscelli, 2014. "Trade Liberalization and Poverty: What Have We Learned in a Decade?," Annual Review of Resource Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 6(1), pages 493-512, October.
    6. H. A. Will, 1970. "Colonial Policy and Economic Development in the British West Indies, 1895–1903," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 23(1), pages 129-143, April.
    7. Dino Collalti & Eric Strobl, 2022. "Economic damages due to extreme precipitation during tropical storms: evidence from Jamaica," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 110(3), pages 2059-2086, February.
    8. Elisabeth Ruth Perlman, 2015. "Dense Enough To Be Brilliant: Patents, Urbanization, and Transportation in Nineteenth Century America," CEH Discussion Papers 036, Centre for Economic History, Research School of Economics, Australian National University.
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    Cited by:

    1. Huesler, Joel, 2025. "Natural disasters, missing pupils: Evidence from colonial Jamaica’s school system," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • Q54 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Climate; Natural Disasters and their Management; Global Warming
    • R00 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General - - - General

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