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Warlords, Famine and Food Aid: Who Fights, Who Starves?

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  • Max Blouin
  • Stéphane Pallage

Abstract

We examine the effects of famine relief efforts (food aid) in regions undergoing civil war. In our model, warlords seize a fraction of all aid and use it to feed soldiers. They hire their troops within a population of farmers heterogeneous in skills. We determine the equilibrium distribution of labor in this environment and study how the existence and allocation strategies of a benevolent food aid agency affect this equilibrium. Our model allows us to precisely predict who will fight and who will work in every circumstance.

Suggested Citation

  • Max Blouin & Stéphane Pallage, 2009. "Warlords, Famine and Food Aid: Who Fights, Who Starves?," Cahiers de recherche 0947, CIRPEE.
    • Handle: RePEc:lvl:lacicr:0947
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Fearon, James D. & Laitin, David D., 2003. "Ethnicity, Insurgency, and Civil War," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 97(1), pages 75-90, February.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Food aid; civil war; warlords; famine;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O10 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - General
    • F35 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - Foreign Aid
    • D74 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Conflict; Conflict Resolution; Alliances; Revolutions

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