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Civil War and Willingness to Pay for Independence: The American Revolution

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  • Paul Hallwood

    (University of Connecticut)

Abstract

This paper uses a similar theoretical approach to that in the modern literature on the propagation of civil wars to assess the causes of the American Revolution. Economic causes are weighed relative to political causes as a contribution to the more than 200-year inconclusive debate among historians as to why the Americans rebelled. The key question investigated is whether the economic benefit of leaving the Empire was great enough to warrant bearing the expected cost of war with Great Britain? The main finding is “no”, and that political grievances must have played the predominant role in sparking the American Revolution.

Suggested Citation

  • Paul Hallwood, 2011. "Civil War and Willingness to Pay for Independence: The American Revolution," Working papers 2011-15, University of Connecticut, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:uct:uconnp:2011-15
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    American Revolution; British Empire; civil war; causes of war; war of secession;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • K14 - Law and Economics - - Basic Areas of Law - - - Criminal Law
    • K33 - Law and Economics - - Other Substantive Areas of Law - - - International Law

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