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A Policy of Credit Disruption: The Punjab Land Alienation Act of 1900

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Abstract

If land is titled and transferable, it can be used as collateral against which money can be borrowed. The resulting increase in access to credit is usually expected to foster economic growth. We study a policy in colonial India that made land less available as collateral for debt. Using a panel dataset for Punjab districts from 1890 to 1910, we find that this reduced the availability of mortgage-backed credit, but did not hurt proxies for economic development such as acreage and cattle, at least in the short run.

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  • Latika Chaudhary & Anand V. Swamy, 2018. "A Policy of Credit Disruption: The Punjab Land Alienation Act of 1900," Department of Economics Working Papers 2018-07, Department of Economics, Williams College.
    • Handle: RePEc:wil:wileco:2018-07
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    1. Shawn Cole, 2009. "Fixing Market Failures or Fixing Elections? Agricultural Credit in India," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 1(1), pages 219-250, January.
    2. Guilhem Cassan, 2015. "Identity-Based Policies and Identity Manipulation: Evidence from Colonial Punjab," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 7(4), pages 103-131, November.
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