The Legacy of Heroic Resistance. Evidence from the Chilean Invasion of Peru
César Huaroto

Abstract:

This paper studies the long-term economic effects of resisting a foreign invasion. The study uses the case of the Sierra Campaign, the last stage of the Pacific War (1879-1884), where local indigenous communities fought a guerrilla type of war against the invader army. I found a positive effect on economic outcomes in the present and argue that although negative in the short run, the event disrupted local social equilibria of inequality between landlords and local indigenous communities (who were the core of the resistance army). The event increased cohesion with the country and reduced ethnic affiliation, thus improving economic opportunities for them and their future generations. For identification, I use as an instrument the distance to the route from Lima and the natal city of the leader of the resistance.

Speaker:

César Huaroto es candidato a Doctor en Economía por la Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. con la defensa programada para Julio del 2022. Sus intereses de investigación son el desarrollo económico, la César Huaroto es economía histórica y la microeconomía aplicada. Se incorporará como Profesor Asistente en la Universidad de Piura en Agosto del 2022.