Chaudhary, L., Rubin, J., Iyer, S. and Shrivastava, A.

Culture and Colonial Legacy: Evidence from Public Goods Games

WP Number: 1812

Abstract: We conduct a public goods game in three small towns in the Indian state of Rajasthan. Due to historical military conquest, until 1947 these towns were on opposite sides of a colonial border separating British India from the Princely States. Our research design offers a treatment comparison between the towns of (British) Kekri and (Princely) Sarwar, and a control comparison between Princely Sarwar and Shahpura. We find that participants from (British) Kekri are more co-operative in mixed-town groups. The differences are driven by individuals with family ties to the towns, highlighting the enduring effects of colonial rule on co-operation norms.

Keywords: cultural transmission, colonialism, public goods game, natural experiment, lab-in-the- eld experiment, India

JEL Codes: C91 C93 C71 H41 H73 N35 N45 O17 Z10

Author links: Sriya Iyer  

PDF: wp1812.pdf

Open Access Link: 10.17863/CAM.33808

Theme: networks

Published Version of Paper: Culture and Colonial Legacy: Evidence from Public Goods Games, Chaudhary, L., Rubin, J., Iyer, S. and Shrivastava, A., Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization (2020)