13 international experts discussed the political economy of development in the framework of the University of Navarra’s 8th NCID Research Workshop. Among them, the main speaker was Romain Wacziarg, who holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard University and is currently a professor at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA).

An initiative of the Navarra Center for International Development at the Institute for Culture and Society, the event was held at the Ramón Areces Foundation in Madrid. It aimed to present the most groundbreaking research and debate innovative proposals to overcome the barriers that impede economic growth. Some of the issues addressed include outsourcing of distribution services in unstable states, meritocracy and group inequality, the relationship between access to information and distribution of political resources, human capital and development, and how voters respond to political promises. These topics emphasized the importance of creating evidence-based policies that ensure the greatest impact at the lowest possible cost.

Historical elements and current economic development

Professor Romain Wacziarg gave the keynote presentation, entitled "Why are there rich countries and poor countries? A look to the past." According to the expert, certain elements are transmitted across generations that influence economic development throughout history. The specialist offered a framework for discussing the different mechanisms through which these historical elements could be affecting current economic development.

The most innovative studies presented include one on how bicycles can help empower girls in Zambia and improve their safety and class attendance, and how information and media can stop the spread of an epidemic such as Ebola or the poor performance of natural resources.

Justin Sandefur, a researcher at the Center for Global Development, explained his study of 93 public schools in Liberia that began to be managed by eight private companies. Academic results slightly improved, but the economic cost of management did not change and, in addition, minors were abused.

In addition, Ana García-Hernández, a researcher at the Universidade Nova de Lisboa presented a study that showed that giving bicycles to girls in Zambia helped them get to school on average 35 minutes faster, which improved attendance and tardiness rates. In addition, the girls noted that they felt safer, more empowered, and in control of their lives.

The director of NOVAFRICA, Pedro Vicente, presented pioneering research carried out in collaboration with, among others, NCID resident researcher Alex Armand. In it, they find that informing an entire community of the benefits of local natural resources improves the prospect of obtaining economic returns for all and increases confidence in political institutions. However, if only leaders know about these resources, corruption and distrust increase.

Speakers and sessions

- Justin Sandefur (Center for Global Development): Outsourcing Service Delivery in a Fragile State: Experimental Evidence from Liberia

- Christelle Dumas (University of Fribourg): Better Roads, Better Off? Evidence of Improving Roads in Tanzania

- Ana García-Hernández (Universidade NOVA de Lisboa): Political Voice and Public Goods Provision Evidence from a Lab-in-the-Field Experiment in Uganda

- Pedro Vicente (Universidade Nova de Lisboa y Novafrica): Does Information Break the Political Resource Curse? Experimental Evidence from Mozambique

- Marta Reynal-Querol (Universitat Pompeu Fabra): Early Human Capital and Development: the case of Latin America

- Julien Labonne (Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford): Making Policies Matter: Voter Responses to Campaign Promises

- Stephane Straub (Toulouse School of Economics): Voting Corrupt Politicians Out of Office? Evidence from an Experiment in Paraguay

- Nicolas Berman (Aix Marseille School of Economics): Natural resources and ethnic

- Romain Wacziarg, UCLA - Historical Barriers to the Wealth of Nations

- Jonathan Lehne, Paris School of Economics - An opium curse? The long-run economic effects of narcotics cultivation in British India

- Ada González-Torres, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev - Local Media and the Spread of Ebola: Evidence from Guinea

- Stefan Klonner, Heidelberg University - Ethnic Favoritism in Targeted Welfare Programs

- Oscar Barrera, Paris School of Economics - Voting for war. The effect of electoral outcomes on conflict, evidence from Colombia