Biblioteca

Abstract

The structure of property rights institutions are an important determinant of economic development, influencing the efficiency of economic production, the distribution of resources, and the mobility of individuals. How these processes interact determines who ultimately benefits from changes in property rights. Here we document the impacts of early allotment (1930s–40s vs. 1980s) of Chilean Mapuche reservations, relying upon a sharp discontinuity in allotment capacity across historical courts for identification. Early allotment led to more efficient use of land and labor, increasing wealth and property values within reservations. However, allotment also decreased Mapuche control over land, potentially exposing property rights recipients to dispossession. Following over half a million allottee descendants, we show that the net effect of these transformations on property rights recipients was gendered—allotment reduced poverty among men, but this effect was absent among women who were less well positioned to take advantage of local economic development.