This paper examines the agricultural origins of collectivist cultures that emphasize group conformity over individual autonomy. In line with the hypothesis that collaboration within groups in pre-industrial agriculture favored the emergence of collectivism, I find that societies whose ancestors practiced irrigation agriculture are more collectivist today. The positive effect of irrigation on contemporary collectivist norms holds across countries, sub-national districts within countries, and migrants. For causal identification, I instrument the historical adoption of irrigation by its geographic suitability. Furthermore, this paper establishes that, by favoring conformity, irrigation agriculture has contributed to the global divergence of technology. I document (i) a negative effect of traditional irrigation agriculture on contemporary innovativeness of countries, cities, and migrants; (ii) a positive effect on selection into routine-intensive occupations; and (iii) that the initial technological advantage of irrigation societies was reversed after 1500.

Paper (9/2017) | Online Appendix

European Economic Review, 2016, vol. 87, pp. 148-175
Paper | Online Appendix

Journal of Economic History, 2017, vol. 77(2), (dissertation summary)

Paper (4/2017)

Paper (7/2015) | Media Coverage: Marginal Revolution