IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/iza/izadps/dp10884.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

The Value of Redistribution: Natural Resources and the Formation of Human Capital under Weak Institutions

Author

Listed:
  • Aguero, Jorge M.

    (University of Connecticut)

  • Balcázar, Carlos Felipe

    (World Bank)

  • Maldonado, Stanislao

    (Universidad del Rosario)

  • Nopo, Hugo R.

    (World Bank)

Abstract

We exploit time and spatial variation generated by the commodities boom to measure the effect of natural resources on human capital formation in Peru, a country with low governance indicators. Combining test scores from over two million students and district-level administrative data on mining production and the redistribution of mining taxes to local governments, we find no effect from production. However, redistribution of mining taxes increases math test scores by 0.23 standard deviations. We identify the improvements in the quality of teachers and in school infrastructure, together with increases in adult employment and health outcomes of adults and children, as key mechanisms from the redistribution. Policy implications for the avoidance of the natural resource curse are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Aguero, Jorge M. & Balcázar, Carlos Felipe & Maldonado, Stanislao & Nopo, Hugo R., 2017. "The Value of Redistribution: Natural Resources and the Formation of Human Capital under Weak Institutions," IZA Discussion Papers 10884, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp10884
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://docs.iza.org/dp10884.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Eric Hanushek & Ludger Woessmann, 2012. "Do better schools lead to more growth? Cognitive skills, economic outcomes, and causation," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 17(4), pages 267-321, December.
    2. Joshua D. Angrist & Adriana D. Kugler, 2008. "Rural Windfall or a New Resource Curse? Coca, Income, and Civil Conflict in Colombia," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 90(2), pages 191-215, May.
    3. Gustavo Canavire-Bacarreza & Jorge Martinez-Vazquez & Cristian Sepúlveda, 2012. "Sub-national Revenue Mobilization in Peru," International Center for Public Policy Working Paper Series, at AYSPS, GSU paper1209, International Center for Public Policy, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University.
    4. David K. Evans & Anna Popova, 2016. "What Really Works to Improve Learning in Developing Countries? An Analysis of Divergent Findings in Systematic Reviews," The World Bank Research Observer, World Bank, vol. 31(2), pages 242-270.
    5. Francesco Caselli & Andrea Tesei, 2016. "Resource Windfalls, Political Regimes, and Political Stability," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 98(3), pages 573-590, July.
    6. Oeindrila Dube & Juan F. Vargas, 2013. "Commodity Price Shocks and Civil Conflict: Evidence from Colombia," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 80(4), pages 1384-1421.
    7. Jorge Gallego & Stanislao Maldonado & Lorena Trujillo, 2018. "Blessing a Curse? Institutional Reform and Resource Booms in Colombia," Documentos de Trabajo 16225, Universidad del Rosario.
    8. -, 2012. "Decentralization and reform in Latin America: improving intergovernmental relations," Copublicaciones, Naciones Unidas Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL), number 2028 edited by Edward Elgar.
    9. Claudio Ferraz & Frederico Finan & Diana Belo Moreira, 2009. "Corrupting Learning: Evidence from Missing Federal Education Funds in Brazil," Textos para discussão 562, Department of Economics PUC-Rio (Brazil).
    10. Hanushek, Eric A., 2006. "School Resources," Handbook of the Economics of Education, in: Erik Hanushek & F. Welch (ed.), Handbook of the Economics of Education, edition 1, volume 2, chapter 14, pages 865-908, Elsevier.
    11. Erik Hanushek & F. Welch (ed.), 2006. "Handbook of the Economics of Education," Handbook of the Economics of Education, Elsevier, edition 1, volume 1, number 1, June.
    12. Robinson, James A. & Torvik, Ragnar & Verdier, Thierry, 2006. "Political foundations of the resource curse," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 79(2), pages 447-468, April.
    13. Glewwe, P. & Muralidharan, K., 2016. "Improving Education Outcomes in Developing Countries," Handbook of the Economics of Education,, Elsevier.
    14. Maldonado, Stanislao, 2014. "The Non-Monotonic Political Effects of Resource Booms," MPRA Paper 85649, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 18 Dec 2017.
    15. Joshua Graff Zivin & Solomon M. Hsiang & Matthew Neidell, 2018. "Temperature and Human Capital in the Short and Long Run," Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, University of Chicago Press, vol. 5(1), pages 77-105.
    16. Thorvaldur Gylfason & Gylfi Zoega, 2006. "Natural Resources and Economic Growth: The Role of Investment," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(8), pages 1091-1115, August.
    17. Frederick van der Ploeg, 2011. "Natural Resources: Curse or Blessing?," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 49(2), pages 366-420, June.
    18. Omar Zambrano & Marcos Robles & Denisse Laos, 2014. "Global boom, local impacts: Mining revenues and subnational outcomes in Peru 2007-2011," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 85133, Inter-American Development Bank.
    19. Koenker,Roger, 2005. "Quantile Regression," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521608275, September.
    20. Duflo, Esther & Dupas, Pascaline & Kremer, Michael, 2015. "School governance, teacher incentives, and pupil–teacher ratios: Experimental evidence from Kenyan primary schools," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 92-110.
    21. Loayza, Norman & Rigolini, Jamele, 2016. "The Local Impact of Mining on Poverty and Inequality: Evidence from the Commodity Boom in Peru," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 219-234.
    22. Glewwe, Paul & Kremer, Michael, 2006. "Schools, Teachers, and Education Outcomes in Developing Countries," Handbook of the Economics of Education, in: Erik Hanushek & F. Welch (ed.), Handbook of the Economics of Education, edition 1, volume 2, chapter 16, pages 945-1017, Elsevier.
    23. Francesco Caselli & Tom Cunningham, 2009. "Leader behaviour and the natural resource curse," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 61(4), pages 628-650, October.
    24. Cristian Pop-Eleches & Miguel Urquiola, 2013. "Going to a Better School: Effects and Behavioral Responses," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 103(4), pages 1289-1324, June.
    25. Stephan Litschig & Kevin M. Morrison, 2013. "The Impact of Intergovernmental Transfers on Education Outcomes and Poverty Reduction," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 5(4), pages 206-240, October.
    26. Francesco Caselli & Guy Michaels, 2013. "Do Oil Windfalls Improve Living Standards? Evidence from Brazil," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 5(1), pages 208-238, January.
    27. Gustavo Canavire-Bacarreza & Jorge Martinez-Vazquez & Cristian Sepúlveda, 2012. "Sub-national Revenue Mobilization in Peru," International Center for Public Policy Working Paper Series, at AYSPS, GSU paper1209, International Center for Public Policy, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University.
    28. Martin Ardanaz & Stanislao Maldonado, 2016. "Natural Resource Windfalls and Efficiency of Local Government Expenditures: Evidence from Peru," Documentos de Trabajo 14578, Universidad del Rosario.
    29. Machado, José A.F. & Santos Silva, J.M.C., 2019. "Quantiles via moments," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 213(1), pages 145-173.
    30. Gylfason, Thorvaldur, 2001. "Natural resources, education, and economic development," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 45(4-6), pages 847-859, May.
    31. Zambrano, Omar & Robles, Marcos & Laos, Denisse, 2014. "Global boom, local impacts: Mining revenues and subnational outcomes in Peru 2007-2011," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 6487, Inter-American Development Bank.
    32. Fernando M. Arag?n & Juan Pablo Rud, 2013. "Natural Resources and Local Communities: Evidence from a Peruvian Gold Mine," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 5(2), pages 1-25, May.
    33. Tobias Kronenberg, 2004. "The curse of natural resources in the transition economies," The Economics of Transition, The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, vol. 12(3), pages 399-426, September.
    34. C. Kirabo Jackson, 2018. "Does School Spending Matter? The New Literature on an Old Question," NBER Working Papers 25368, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    35. Abadie, Alberto & Dermisi, Sofia, 2008. "Is terrorism eroding agglomeration economies in Central Business Districts? Lessons from the office real estate market in downtown Chicago," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(2), pages 451-463, September.
    36. Erik Hanushek & F. Welch (ed.), 2006. "Handbook of the Economics of Education," Handbook of the Economics of Education, Elsevier, edition 1, volume 2, number 2, June.
    37. Lawson, Ty M., 2012. "Impact of School Feeding Programs on Educational, Nutritional, and Agricultural Development Goals: A Systematic Review of Literature," Graduate Research Master's Degree Plan B Papers 142466, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
    38. Melissa Dell, 2010. "The Persistent Effects of Peru's Mining Mita," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 78(6), pages 1863-1903, November.
    39. Petra E. Todd & Kenneth I. Wolpin, 2003. "On The Specification and Estimation of The Production Function for Cognitive Achievement," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 113(485), pages 3-33, February.
    40. World Bank, 2018. "World Development Report 2018 [Rapport sur le développement dans le monde 2018]," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 28340.
    41. Gallego, Jorge & Maldonado, Stanislao & Trujillo, Lorena, 2020. "From curse to blessing? institutional reform and resource booms in Colombia," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 178(C), pages 174-193.
    42. Caselli, Francesco & Cunningham, Tom, 2009. "Leader behavior and the natural resource curse," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 25430, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    43. Deacon, Robert T., 2011. "The Political Economy of the Natural Resource Curse: A Survey of Theory and Evidence," Foundations and Trends(R) in Microeconomics, now publishers, vol. 7(2), pages 111-208, December.
    44. Javier Arellano-Yanguas, 2011. "Aggravating the Resource Curse: Decentralisation, Mining and Conflict in Peru," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(4), pages 617-638.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Fridtjof Bahlburg, 2023. "The Local Impact of Mining in Peruvian Districts: Evidence of a Subnational Resource Curse?," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 13(4), pages 264-286, July.
    2. Atangana Ondoa, Henri & Nyebe Andela, Berthe, 2023. "Are natural resources a blessing or a curse for scientific and technical research in Africa?," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(PA).
    3. Parra-Cely, Sergio & Zanoni, Wladimir, 2024. "The Labor Market Worsening Effects of a Resource Bust: Evidence from the Crude Oil Price Shock in Ecuador," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    4. Rodríguez-Puello, Gabriel & Chávez, Alicia & Pérez Trujillo, Manuel, 2022. "Youth unemployment during economic shocks: Evidence from the metal-mining prices super cycle in Chile," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    5. Tao Tang & Brayan Tillaguango & Rafael Alvarado & Ximena Songor-Jaramillo & Priscila Méndez & Stefania Pinzón, 2022. "Heterogeneity in the Causal Link between FDI, Globalization and Human Capital: New Empirical Evidence Using Threshold Regressions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-27, July.
    6. Amir Mousavi & Jeremy Clark, 2021. "The effects of natural resources on human capital accumulation: A literature survey," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(4), pages 1073-1117, September.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Maldonado, Stanislao, 2014. "The Non-Monotonic Political Effects of Resource Booms," MPRA Paper 85649, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 18 Dec 2017.
    2. Nemera Gebeyehu Mamo, 2018. "Essays on natural resources in Africa: local economic development, multi-ethnic coalitions and armed conflict," Economics PhD Theses 0518, Department of Economics, University of Sussex Business School.
    3. Gallego, Jorge & Maldonado, Stanislao & Trujillo, Lorena, 2020. "From curse to blessing? institutional reform and resource booms in Colombia," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 178(C), pages 174-193.
    4. Jorge Gallego & Stanislao Maldonado & Lorena Trujillo, 2018. "Blessing a Curse? Institutional Reform and Resource Booms in Colombia," Working Papers 122, Peruvian Economic Association.
    5. Konte, Maty & Vincent, Rose Camille, 2021. "Mining and quality of public services: The role of local governance and decentralization," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    6. Kodjovi M. Eklou, 2020. "A Leadership Curse? Oil Price Shocks and the Selection of National Leaders," Cahiers de recherche 20-05, Departement d'économique de l'École de gestion à l'Université de Sherbrooke.
    7. Hilmawan, Rian & Clark, Jeremy, 2019. "An investigation of the resource curse in Indonesia," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    8. Dauvin, Magali & Guerreiro, David, 2017. "The Paradox of Plenty: A Meta-Analysis," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 212-231.
    9. Tania Masi & Antonio Savoia & Kunal Sen, 2018. "Is there a fiscal resource curse? Resource rents, fiscal capacity and political institutions," Global Development Institute Working Paper Series esid-096-18, GDI, The University of Manchester.
    10. Dauvin, Magali & Guerreiro, David, 2017. "The Paradox of Plenty: A Meta-Analysis," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 212-231.
    11. Ohad Raveh & Yacov Tsur, 2018. "Resource Windfalls and Public Debt: The Role of Political Myopia," OxCarre Working Papers 205, Oxford Centre for the Analysis of Resource Rich Economies, University of Oxford.
    12. Masi, Tania & Savoia, Antonio & Sen, Kunal, 2024. "Is there a fiscal resource curse? Resource rents, fiscal capacity and political institutions in developing economies," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).
    13. Leonardo Bonilla-Mejía, 2019. "Illegal Mining and Human Capital Accumulation: Evidence from the Colombian Gold Rush," Documentos de trabajo sobre Economía Regional y Urbana 280, Banco de la Republica de Colombia.
    14. Raveh, Ohad & Tsur, Yacov, 2020. "Resource windfalls and public debt: A political economy perspective," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 123(C).
    15. Stanislao Maldonado & Martin Ardanaz, 2023. "Natural resource windfalls and efficiency in local government expenditure: Evidence from Peru," Economics and Politics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(1), pages 28-64, March.
    16. De Haas, Ralph & Poelhekke, Steven, 2019. "Mining matters: Natural resource extraction and firm-level constraints," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 109-124.
    17. Frederick van der Ploeg, 2011. "Natural Resources: Curse or Blessing?," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 49(2), pages 366-420, June.
    18. Bonilla Mejía, Leonardo, 2020. "Mining and human capital accumulation: Evidence from the Colombian gold rush," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    19. Odmaa Narantungalag,, 2022. "The effects of natural resource extraction on household expenditure patterns: Evidence from Mongolia," Discussion Papers 2204, School of Economics and Finance, Massey University, New Zealand.
    20. Hilmawan, Rian & Clark, Jeremy, 2021. "Resource dependence and the causes of local economic growth: An empirical investigation," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 65(03), January.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    intergovernmental transfers; academic achievement; resource booms;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H7 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations
    • H23 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Externalities; Redistributive Effects; Environmental Taxes and Subsidies
    • I25 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Economic Development
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • Q32 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Nonrenewable Resources and Conservation - - - Exhaustible Resources and Economic Development

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp10884. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Holger Hinte (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/izaaade.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.