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Securing Property Rights

Author

Listed:
  • Edward L. Glaeser
  • Giacomo A. M. Ponzetto
  • Andrei Shleifer

Abstract

A central challenge in securing property rights is the subversion of justice through legal skill, bribery, or physical force by the strong?the state or its powerful citizens?against the weak. We present evidence that the less educated and poorer citizens in many countries feel their property rights are least secure. We then present a model of a farmer and a mine which can pollute his farm in a jurisdiction where the mine can subvert law enforcement. We show that, in this model, injunctions or other forms of property rules work better than compensation for damage or liability rules. The equivalences of the Coase Theorem break down in realistic ways. The case for injunctions is even stronger when parties can invest in power. Our approach sheds light on several controversies in law and economics, but also applies to practical problems in developing countries, such as low demand for formality, law enforcement under uncertain property rights, and unresolved conflicts between environmental damage and development.

Suggested Citation

  • Edward L. Glaeser & Giacomo A. M. Ponzetto & Andrei Shleifer, 2016. "Securing Property Rights," Working Paper 463441, Harvard University OpenScholar.
    • Handle: RePEc:qsh:wpaper:463441
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    File URL: http://scholar.harvard.edu/shleifer/node/463441
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    JEL classification:

    • K11 - Law and Economics - - Basic Areas of Law - - - Property Law
    • K13 - Law and Economics - - Basic Areas of Law - - - Tort Law and Product Liability; Forensic Economics
    • K32 - Law and Economics - - Other Substantive Areas of Law - - - Energy, Environmental, Health, and Safety Law
    • L51 - Industrial Organization - - Regulation and Industrial Policy - - - Economics of Regulation
    • O13 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Agriculture; Natural Resources; Environment; Other Primary Products
    • O17 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Formal and Informal Sectors; Shadow Economy; Institutional Arrangements
    • P14 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Capitalist Economies - - - Property Rights
    • Q53 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Air Pollution; Water Pollution; Noise; Hazardous Waste; Solid Waste; Recycling

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