Mauritius Economic Insights

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Questions and Answers

Match the diseases with their corresponding impact on mortality rates:

Malaria = Major cause of death among soldiers Yellow Fever = Significant mortality in tropical campaigns Gastrointestinal Diseases = Third main cause of death Epidemics of Tropical Diseases = Avoided through better management

Match the following countries with their historical contexts regarding extractive institutions:

Sierra Leone = Adopted British colonial tactics post-independence Mauritius = Had a middle-class supporting democracy Senegal = Analyzed for the evolution of the modern state Congo = Authoritarianism under Mobutu linked to colonial practices

Match the following authors with their contributions to the study of extractive institutions:

Acemoglu = Argued for the persistence of institutions due to investments Reno = Examined post-independence tactics in Sierra Leone Boone = Analyzed the modern state in Senegal Turner and Young = Studied colonial roots of authoritarianism in the Congo

Match the sources of data on mortality rates with their authors:

Curtin (1964) = Estimates of mortality in naval squadrons Curtin (1968) = Evidence from various locations Curtin (1998) = Mortality of soldiers in the 19th century Gutierrez (1986) = Mortality rates of bishops in Latin America Signup and view all the answers

Match the campaigns with their characteristics regarding mortality:

Ethiopia Campaign = Low mortality due to short duration Spanish Military Campaigns = Poor record-keeping of mortality Short Military Campaigns = Better management and awareness Settler Mortality Estimates = Based on earliest available data Signup and view all the answers

Match the following concepts with their definitions:

Extractive institutions = Enable a small elite to profit at the expense of the majority Authoritarianism = Concentration of power in a single authority Mortality rates = Statistics indicating the number of deaths in a given population GDP per capita = Average economic output per person in a country Signup and view all the answers

Match the following time periods with the events related to independence in Latin America:

Early 19th century = Independence of most Latin American countries Colonial era = Establishment of extractive institutions by European powers Post-independence = Control of the state by domestic elites 19th century revolutions = Changes in identity of rent recipients Signup and view all the answers

Match the historical periods with their described medical understanding:

19th Century = Awareness of avoiding the worst tropical diseases Pre-20th Century = High mortality rates due to disease Modern Medicine Infancy = Limited control measures for diseases Post-Epidemic Awareness = Improved efforts to manage disease spread Signup and view all the answers

Match the following characteristics with their relevance in establishing institutions:

Irreversible investments = Lead to support for specific institutions Human capital = Enhances consensus on enforcing property rights Physical capital = Increases stakes in institutional stability Middle-class presence = Important for supporting democracy Signup and view all the answers

Match the types of mortality data with their descriptions:

Settler Mortality = Estimates based on various historical data Military Mortality = Based on short campaigns with careful management Diﬀerent Regions Mortality = Data collection by naval squadrons South America Mortality = Inferred from Vatican records Signup and view all the answers

Match the following scholars with their main findings related to extractive states:

Callaghy = Studied colonial state practices in the Congo Lynch = Reviewed experiences of various Latin American countries Acemoglu and Robinson = Insight on elite incentives for extractiveness Turner = Explored historical roots of authoritarianism Signup and view all the answers

Match the descriptions of causes of death with their classifications:

Major Cause of Death = Malaria and Yellow Fever Second Cause of Death = Gastrointestinal diseases Third Cause of Death = Epidemics during military campaigns Consistent Evidence Source = Curtin's historical data Signup and view all the answers

Match the key concepts with their explanations:

Robustness of Results = Checked by alternative assumptions Estimate Methodology = Using the earliest available mortality data Mortality Data Construction = Described in Appendix B Tropical Disease Management = Improved during short campaigns Signup and view all the answers

Match the following countries with their economic characteristics:

Mauritius = Low mortality with high GDP per capita Argentina = GDP per capita similar to Mauritius Sierra Leone = Extractive state tactics post-independence Senegal = Evolution of modern state analyzed by Boone Signup and view all the answers

Match the authors with the types of mortality data they focused on:

Curtin (1964) = Naval squadrons' mortality estimates Curtin (1968) = Settler mortality estimates Curtin (1998) = Military campaign mortality analysis Gutierrez (1986) = Bishops' mortality in Latin America Signup and view all the answers

Match the following institutions with their potential impacts on society:

Democratic institutions = Support from middle-class stakeholders Extractive state institutions = Favor the benefits of a narrow elite Authoritarian institutions = Tend to control state power tightly Property rights = Encourage investments and economic stability Signup and view all the answers

Match the following statistics with their respective subjects:

Mortality rate on Congo-Ocean railroad = 240 per thousand Average mortality rate = 100 per thousand Standard error of the significance = 0.27 Coefficient of the effect of institutions = 0.87 Signup and view all the answers

Match the following factors with their descriptions:

Settler mortality = Correlates with current disease environment Fraction of European descent = Insignificant effect on income Temperature = Control variable for income per capita Ethnolinguistic fragmentation = Endogenous with respect to development Signup and view all the answers

Match the following research references with their contributions:

Curtin et al (1995) = Mortality statistics for Congo-Ocean railroad McEvedy and Jones (1978) = European descent population data Weber (1976) = Correlation with ethnolinguistic fragmentation Andersen (1983) = Development and market centralization insights Signup and view all the answers

Match the following variables with their effects on income per capita:

Protection against expropriation = Effect estimated at 0.74 Humidity = Included control variable Soil quality = Natural resource control variable Landlocked status = Potential determinant of income Signup and view all the answers

Match the following columns with their significance levels:

Baseline estimate = Effect of protection against expropriation Column 1 estimate = 0.74 Column 7 & 8 = Fraction of European descent added Column 9 = Effects of multiple variables combined Signup and view all the answers

Match the following diseases with their significance in the study:

Malaria = Highly insignificant Settler mortality = Significant effect on performance Current disease environment = Not a direct factor for institutions Expropriation = Relevant to income analysis Signup and view all the answers

Match the following tables with their focus:

Table 7 = Comparative estimates with controls Table 8 = Additional determinants of income Appendix Table A1 = Definitions of control variables Appendix C = Evidence on institutional impacts Signup and view all the answers

Match the following measures with their relationship to development:

Ethnolinguistic fragmentation = Tends to disappear with growth Income per capita = Affected by protection against expropriation Temperature and humidity = Controls for performance measurement Natural resources = Impact determinant of income Signup and view all the answers

Match the following diseases with their respective fatalities:

Yellow Fever = 75 percent for nonimmune adults Malaria = 25-75 percent for nonimmune adults Gambia Fever = 279 British soldiers killed Niger Delta Outbreak = Two-thirds of Europeans died Signup and view all the answers

Match the following locations with their reported death rates:

Haut-Senegal = 400 per 1000 mean strength Niger (1841) = 2,004 per 1000 mean strength per year Gambia = 2,300 total deaths per 1000 Gold Coast = Less frequent yellow fever outbreaks Signup and view all the answers

Match the following years with the notable outbreaks:

1852 = Recorded yellow fever outbreak 1857 = Recorded yellow fever outbreak 1873 = Outbreak in the Niger delta 1862 = Recorded yellow fever outbreak Signup and view all the answers

Match the following mortality statistics with their context:

120 per month = Mortality rate in Gambia 2,940 per 1000 = Annual rate during Mali campaign 82 percent = Died from malaria in Niger 49 percent = Loss of Europeans in Mali campaign Signup and view all the answers

Match the following historical figures with their significance:

Curtin (1998) = Source for mortality statistics French expeditionary force = Campaign in Mali 1878 British soldiers = Casualties in Gambia 1825-1826 Niger expedition = European mortality in 1841 Signup and view all the answers

Match the following periods with their associated death rates:

1880-83 = 400 per 1000 mean strength in Haut-Senegal 1878 = 49 percent loss in Mali campaign 1825-1826 = 279 soldiers killed in Gambia 1973 = Niger delta yellow fever outbreak Signup and view all the answers

Match the following metrics with their calculations:

2,300 total deaths per 1000 = Average for Gambia soldiers 120 per month = Converted to annual rate of 1,470 2,940 per 1000 = Rate during the Mali campaign 400 per 1000 = Death rate in Haut-Senegal Signup and view all the answers

Match the following geographical regions with their related facts:

West Africa = Major disincentive for settlement due to yellow fever Gold Coast (Ghana) = Thought to have fewer yellow fever outbreaks Mali = Site of French expedition campaign Niger delta = Experienced severe yellow fever outbreak in 1873 Signup and view all the answers

Match the following variables to their descriptions from the study:

Log of mortality rate = Ensures extreme rates do not dominate results Protection against expropriation = Measure of current institutional quality Constraints on the executive = Variable affecting institutional variation Democracy index = Alternative measure of political institutions Signup and view all the answers

Match the following columns from the OLS regressions with their effects:

Column 1 = Explains 21% of variation in institutions Column 3 = Uses democracy index Column 5 = Considers constraints at independence Column 9 = First-stage for main 2SLS estimates Signup and view all the answers

Match the following outcomes with their respective hypotheses or relationships:

Mortality rates and institutions = Settler mortality explains institutional differences Latitude variable = Has little effect on estimates European settlements = Explains 29% of institutional variation Early institutions = Indicate persistence in modern institutions Signup and view all the answers

Match the following institutions with the year or context they relate to:

Constraints faced by the executive in 1900 = Reflects early institutional influence First year of independence = Alternative measure for institutional evaluation 1900 colonies = Receive low scores on institutional measures Post-independence information = Not used for some Latin American countries Signup and view all the answers

Match the following statistics with what they represent:

21 percent = Variation explained by past institutions 29 percent = Variation explained by European fraction 26 percent = Differences explained by settler mortality Little effect = Influence of latitude on estimates Signup and view all the answers

Match the following concepts with the context they're used in:

OLS regressions = Used to analyze the effect of past institutions Logarithm of settler mortality rates = Used for more accurate representation Gambia's score = Surprisingly high for expropriation risk Time since independence = Control variable in some analyses Signup and view all the answers

Match the following effects with the corresponding explanatory variables:

Constraints on the executive = Explains low scores for former colonies Democracy index = Confirms relationships found with executive constraints Settler mortality = Factors into the analysis of institutional differences European settlement = Affects variation in current institutions Signup and view all the answers

Match the following hypotheses with their related observations:

Early institutions persist = Supported by regression results Extreme mortality rates = Avoided in logarithmic analysis Colonial past = Indicated through low institutional scores Regressions of equations (2), (3), and (4) = Document hypothesized channels for effects Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Economic Context of Mauritius

Mauritius has low mortality rates and a GDP per capita comparable to Argentina, highlighting its relative wealth among nations.

Authoritarian Institutions and Their Legacy

European powers often established authoritarian institutions, delegating authority to a small domestic elite post-independence.
Extractive institutions were favored by this elite to consolidate power and extract resources, especially noted in the cases of Sierra Leone and Senegal.

Congo's Authoritarian Roots

The colonial practices in the Congo under Mobutu are considered foundational for the region's ongoing authoritarianism.

Latin America’s Political Transition

Latin American independence in the early 19th century allowed domestic elites to replace colonial rulers, but largely perpetuated existing extractive frameworks.

Investment and Institutional Support

Irreversible investments by agents in specific institutions lead to a greater likelihood of their persistence, particularly for those with substantial human and physical capital.

Mortality Rates and Institutions

Historical mortality rates during colonial times inform the understanding of settler mortality, with references to the prevalence of diseases like malaria and yellow fever.
High mortality rates among European settlers significantly influenced contemporary institutional frameworks.

Data Construction and Analysis

Historical mortality data for African and South American regions are constructed using various sources, including Vatican records for bishops' mortality.

Relationship Between Mortality and Current Institutions

Analysis demonstrates a strong linear relationship between settler mortality rates and modern institutional quality, indicating lasting impacts of historical conditions.

Findings from Statistical Regressions

Statistical models show that early institutional frameworks explain a significant portion of the variations in current institutional quality.
Settler mortality accounts for about 26% of differences in today's institutions, with high mortality rates recorded during colonial projects like the Congo-Ocean railroad.

The Role of European Settlement

The fraction of the population with European ancestry does not significantly impact institutional quality, suggesting a more complex interaction between colonization and local governance structures.

Ethnolinguistic Fragmentation and Development

Incorporation of ethnolinguistic fragmentation in models shows slight reduction in the estimated impacts of institutions on income per capita, indicating interrelated dynamics during governance evolution.

Disease and Settlement Patterns

High mortality from yellow fever and malaria deterred European settlement in regions like West Africa, significantly shaping demographic patterns and subsequent institutional developments.
Notable mortality events, such as the French expeditionary force in Mali, emphasized the role of tropical diseases in colonial administrative outcomes.

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Description

This quiz explores the economic and institutional characteristics of Mauritius, focusing on its prosperity and low mortality rates. It highlights comparisons with other countries like Argentina and discusses the implications of extractive institutions. Test your knowledge on the factors influencing economic outcomes in Mauritius.