History's masters: the effect of European monarchs on state performance

Kód výsledku v IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F00216208%3A11640%2F25%3A00603458" target="_blank" >RIV/00216208:11640/25:00603458 - isvavai.cz</a>

Nalezeny alternativní kódy

RIV/67985998:_____/25:00646386

Výsledek na webu

<a href="https://doi.org/10.3982/ECTA20830" target="_blank" >https://doi.org/10.3982/ECTA20830</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3982/ECTA20830" target="_blank" >10.3982/ECTA20830</a>

Jazyk výsledku

angličtina

Název v původním jazyce

History's masters: the effect of European monarchs on state performance

Popis výsledku v původním jazyce

We create a novel reign-level data set for European monarchs, covering all major European states between the 10th and 18th centuries. We first document a strong positive relationship between rulers' cognitive ability and state performance. To address endogeneity issues, we exploit the facts that (i) rulers were appointed according to hereditary succession, independent of their ability, and (ii) the widespread inbreeding among the ruling dynasties of Europe led over centuries to quasirandom variation in ruler ability. We code the degree of blood relationship between the parents of rulers, which also reflects “hidden” layers of inbreeding from previous generations. The coefficient of inbreeding is a strong predictor of ruler ability, and the corresponding instrumental variable results imply that ruler ability had a sizeable effect on the performance of states and their borders. This supports the view that “leaders made history,” shaping the European map until its consolidation into nation states. We also show that rulers mattered only where their power was largely unconstrained. In reigns where parliaments checked the power of monarchs, ruler ability no longer affected their state's performance.

Název v anglickém jazyce

History's masters: the effect of European monarchs on state performance

Popis výsledku anglicky

We create a novel reign-level data set for European monarchs, covering all major European states between the 10th and 18th centuries. We first document a strong positive relationship between rulers' cognitive ability and state performance. To address endogeneity issues, we exploit the facts that (i) rulers were appointed according to hereditary succession, independent of their ability, and (ii) the widespread inbreeding among the ruling dynasties of Europe led over centuries to quasirandom variation in ruler ability. We code the degree of blood relationship between the parents of rulers, which also reflects “hidden” layers of inbreeding from previous generations. The coefficient of inbreeding is a strong predictor of ruler ability, and the corresponding instrumental variable results imply that ruler ability had a sizeable effect on the performance of states and their borders. This supports the view that “leaders made history,” shaping the European map until its consolidation into nation states. We also show that rulers mattered only where their power was largely unconstrained. In reigns where parliaments checked the power of monarchs, ruler ability no longer affected their state's performance.

Druh

J_imp - Článek v periodiku v databázi Web of Science

CEP obor

—

OECD FORD obor

50202 - Applied Economics, Econometrics

Projekt

<a href="/cs/project/GA23-07081S" target="_blank" >GA23-07081S: Vliv a původ národních a místních politických institucí</a><br>

Návaznosti

P - Projekt vyzkumu a vyvoje financovany z verejnych zdroju (s odkazem do CEP)

Rok uplatnění

2025

Kód důvěrnosti údajů

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Název periodika

Econometrica

ISSN

0012-9682

e-ISSN

1468-0262

Svazek periodika

93

Číslo periodika v rámci svazku

1

Stát vydavatele periodika

US - Spojené státy americké

Počet stran výsledku

34

Strana od-do

95-128

Kód UT WoS článku

001413810900003

EID výsledku v databázi Scopus

2-s2.0-85216658222