Chaudhary, Latika and Rubin, Jared and Iyer, Sriya and Shrivastava, Anand
(2018)
Culture and colonial legacy: evidence from public goods games.
Working Paper.
Chapman University, Orange.
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 (barely) 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 (Princely)
Shahpura. We find no significant difference in contributions to home town groups, but
a significant difference in contributions to mixed town groups. Participants in (British)
Kekri are more co-operative (i.e., contribute more) in mixed town groups compared
to those in (Princely) Sarwar. We find the differences are driven by individuals with
family ties to the towns, and we find no differences in the control comparison. Our
results highlight the enduring effects of colonial rule on social norms of co-operation
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