Citation

Discussion Paper Details

Please find the details for DP5398 in an easy to copy and paste format below:

Full Details   |   Bibliographic Reference

Full Details

Title: 'Home Biases', 19th Century Style

Author(s): Marc Flandreau

Publication Date: December 2005

Keyword(s): colonies, home bias, Lucas paradox and willingness to pay

Programme Area(s): International Macroeconomics

Abstract: This paper discusses the existence of 'home' biases in the 19th century global capital market, whereby colonies appear to have received a 'disproportionate' amount of capital from their metropolis. Starting from a discussion of the Bulow Rogoff (1989) problem, we argue that imperial links provided a natural institutional framework to make pre-commitment credible by ensuring an adequate degree of willingness to pay. This was not because imperial rule provided coercion or punishment, but rather because it supplied a legal framework that effectively suppressed the « sovereign » nature of colonial debts. We conclude that the greater facility with which capital migrated in the 19th century has much to do with the fact that colonies were more akin to the 'regions' of modern countries

For full details and related downloads, please visit: https://cepr.org/active/publications/discussion_papers/dp.php?dpno=5398

Bibliographic Reference

Flandreau, M. 2005. ''Home Biases', 19th Century Style'. London, Centre for Economic Policy Research. https://cepr.org/active/publications/discussion_papers/dp.php?dpno=5398