Participation in this event is by invitation only.

The Hoover Institution hosts Path Towards Prosperity: Institutions & Development: Spring 2024 Conference Of The Working Group on the Foundations of Long-run Prosperity on March 28–29, 2024.

The historical record shows us that the path to economic prosperity is not linear or uniform. Historical contingencies, technology, and institutions interact in ways that can be explained ex-post but not predicted ex-ante. Some paths of development turn out to lead to stagnation, and others to sustained growth. This conference examines these factors that impact development trajectories.

Thursday, March 28th
Time Content Presenters Discussant/Chair

8:30 AM

Breakfast

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9:00 AM

Welcome: Stephen Haber, Hoover Institution & Stanford University

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9:15 AM

“Corruption and Bureaucracy: Evidence from Front-Running Public Project Announcements” by Amit Seru, Tomasz Piskorski, and Jian Zhang

Presenter: Amit Seru, Hoover Institution & Stanford University 

Discussant: Paola Sapienza, Hoover Institution & Northwestern University
(slides)

Discussant: Chang-Tai Hsieh, University of Chicago
(slides)

Chair: Dan Kessler, Hoover Institution & Stanford University

10:30 am

Break

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11:00 AM

The Value of Ratings: Evidence from their Introduction in Securities Markets” by Carola Frydman, Asaf Bernstein, and Eric Hilt

Presenter: Carola Frydman, Northwestern University
(slides)

Discussant: Ross Levine, Hoover Institution & Stanford University
(slides)

Discussant: Vikrant Vig, Stanford University

Chair: Amit Seru, Hoover Institution & Stanford University

12:15 PM

Lunch

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1:15 PM

"The Political Economy of Middle Income” by Avidit Acharya, Stephen Haber, and Alexander Lee

Presenter: Alexander Lee, University of Rochester
(slides)

Discussant: Jean-Laurent Rosenthal, Caltech
(slides)

Discussant: Dorothy Kronick, UC Berkeley
(slides)

Chair: Anna Grzymala-Busse, Hoover Institution & Stanford University

2:30 PM

Break

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3:00 PM

US Debt and Taxes: 1776-2023” by Thomas Sargent and George Hall

Presenter: Thomas Sargent, Hoover Institution & NYU

Discussant: Hanno Lustig, Stanford University 
(slides)

Discussant: Bill Summerhill, Hoover Institution & UCLA 
(slides)

Chair: Valerie Ramey, Hoover Institution

4:15 PM

Conclusion of March 28th program

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6:00 PM

Dinner – Flemings Steakhouse, Palo Alto

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Friday, March 29th
Time Content Presenters/panelists Discussant/Chair

8:30 AM

Breakfast

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9:00 AM

Ecology, Collective Behavior, and Prosperity: What We Can Learn from Ants” by Deborah Gordon

Presenter: Deborah Gordon, Stanford University

Discussant: Ian Morris, Stanford University

Discussant: Chad Jones, Stanford University 
(slides)

Chair: Stephen Haber, Hoover Institution & Stanford University

10:15 am

Break

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10:45 am

The Impact of Commercial Real Estate Regulations on U.S. Output” by Fil Babalievsky, Kyle F. Herkenhoff, Lee E. Ohanian & Edward C. Prescott

Presenter: Lee Ohanian, Hoover Institution & UCLA
(slides)

Discussant: Luigi Zingales, Hoover Institution & University of Chicago
(slides)

Discussant: Erik Hurst, University of Chicago 
(slides)

Chair: Gustavo Adolfo Del Angel Mobarak, Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas (CIDE)

12:00 pm

Lunch

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12:45 PM

Enlightenment Ideals and Belief in Science in the Run-up to the Industrial Revolution: A Textual Analysis” by Ali Almelhem, Murat Iyigun, Austin Kennedy, and Jared Rubin

Presenter: Jared Rubin, Chapman University
(slides)

Discussant: Ran Abramitzky, Stanford University
(slides)

Discussant: Vicky Fouka, Stanford University 
(slides)

Chair: Josh Ober, Hoover Institution & Stanford University

2:00 PM

Closing Remarks: Amit Seru, Hoover Institution & Stanford University

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2:05 PM

Conclusion of Conference

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