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Guns, Latrines, and Land Reform: Private Expectations and Public Policy

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  • Michael Kremer
  • Jack Willis

Abstract

Dynamically and statically optimal Pigouvian subsidies on durables will differ in a growing economy. For durables with positive externalities, such as sanitation, statically optimal subsidies will typically grow. However, in a dynamic game, governments can most cheaply induce optimal purchasing time by committing to eventually reduce subsidies. If governments cannot commit, there may be multiple, Pareto-ranked equilibria. The presence of multiple subsidizing bodies, including foreign donors, makes commitment more difficult. As a result, consumers may actually delay purchase, rationally anticipating growing subsidies. In the extreme, the benefits of foreign subsidies for durables that create positive externalities may be more than fully offset by such delays in private investment. For durables with negative externalities, such as guns, delays between the announcement and implementation of taxes or regulation may bring forward purchase, potentially causing policymakers who would otherwise prefer such policies to abandon them. Political actors may also be able to shape others’ policy preferences by changing private expectations. For example, a political party that announces an intent to redistribute land may reduce current owners' investment incentives, thus reducing the benefits of maintaining existing property rights and making land reform more attractive to the median voter.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael Kremer & Jack Willis, 2016. "Guns, Latrines, and Land Reform: Private Expectations and Public Policy," NBER Working Papers 21915, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
  • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:21915
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kydland, Finn E & Prescott, Edward C, 1977. "Rules Rather Than Discretion: The Inconsistency of Optimal Plans," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 85(3), pages 473-491, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Brenneis, Karina & Irawan, Bambang & Wollni, Meike, 2023. "Promoting agricultural technologies with positive environmental effects: Evidence on tree planting in Indonesia," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 204(PB).
    2. Bruno De Borger & Amihai Glazer & Stef Proost, 2021. "Rational Drivers and the Choice Between Congestion Tolls and Tradeable Permits: A Political Economy Model," CESifo Working Paper Series 8821, CESifo.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • H23 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Externalities; Redistributive Effects; Environmental Taxes and Subsidies
    • H42 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Publicly Provided Private Goods
    • O12 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Microeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • O18 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Urban, Rural, Regional, and Transportation Analysis; Housing; Infrastructure

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