Unequal Burden: Colonial Taxation and Living Standard Disparities Within Minorities

European colonialism in the Americas entailed a host of ethnically targeted exactions. Yet, this burden was unequally distributed within indigenous communities themselves. Exploiting across and within-country variation, I argue that areas with more regressive colonial taxation in Peru and Bolivia exhibit more socioeconomic sorting at the time. Namely, the selective "exit" via lower fertility, higher mortality and more out-migration of low-status indigenous populations which changed the short and long-run social composition and living standards of remaining communities. Indeed, current surname data in Peru reveals a disproportionate presence of Inca nobility surnames and higher living standards among communities historically exposed to regressive taxation. This pattern is not new, as already in the 19th century these communities exhibit relatively higher literacy rates and propensity for collective action. In contrast, no similar pattern emerges for Guatemala, a case of more uniformly extractive colonial taxation. These findings highlight indigenous socioeconomic sorting as an unexplored consequence of Spanish colonization in the Americas.

About the speaker

Jenny Guardado is an assistant professor at the Center for Latin American Studies / Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. Her research examines the political and economic mechanisms affecting armed conflict, corruption and economic development. The article version of her PhD (Political Science at NYU) dissertation was awarded the Pi Sigma Alpha Award for best paper presented at MPSA in 2013. Her work on land tenure in Peru was awarded the Oliver A. Williamson Prize for best paper presented at the International Society for New Institutional Economics Conference in 2014.

Note: please contact Jenny via her web page if you would like a copy of the full paper.

Jenny Guardado - CV and Contact (google.com)