Scandinavian Working Papers in Economics
Working Papers in Economics,
University of Gothenburg, Department of Economics
No 863: Cadastral Reform and Social Conflict
Michele Valsecchi, Ola Olsson () and Aleksandra Kopylova
Additional contact information
Michele Valsecchi: New Economic School (NES)
Ola Olsson: Department of Economics, School of Business, Economics and Law, Göteborg University, Postal: P.O. Box 640, SE 40530 GÖTEBORG, Sweden
Aleksandra Kopylova: New Economic School (NES), Postal: P.O. Box 640, SE 40530 GÖTEBORG, Sweden
Abstract: Cadasters are country-wide mapped land registries that increase transparency and strengthen private property rights but are often also associated with land redistribution and higher taxation. A large micro literature has studied how land reforms affect economic development within countries. We use recently developed cross-country data on cadastral institutions to investigate the empirical relationship between major reforms and social conflict. We exploit 22 major cadastral reform events during 1814-2014 that we match with countries that experienced no reform. We find a clear tendency for conflict levels and political instability to decrease one or two decades after cadastral reforms. Our findings could have relevance for policy debates among countries that have still not pursued the introduction of land registries.
Keywords: cadasters; social conflict; land registry; civil war; leader changes
Language: English
37 pages, May 15, 2026
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