Political Economy and Population Growth in Edo-period Japan

Abstract

During the feudal Edo-period (1603-1868) in Japan, the shogunate government relied on hereditary feudal lords and its own bakufu bureaucracy for regional control. Compared to hereditary lords, bakufu officials had shorter and less certain tenures. Analysis of public historical data shows that regions governed by bakufu bureaucrats are associated with (a) slower population growth, (b) slower growth in productive capacity, and (c) more frequent civil unrest. This evidence supports Mancur Olson’s thesis that those with coercive power are more likely to foster a growth-friendly environment when assured of stable, long-term tenure.