Colonialism and Development: A Comparative Analysis of Spanish and British Colonies

Abstract

Recent research shows that colonialism reversed levels of development in much of the non-European world. To explain this reversal, analysts focus on conditions within the colonized areas. By contrast, drawing on evidence from Spanish and British colonialism, the authors show that the economic models of the colonizing nations also affected the reversals of fortune. Mercantilist Spain tended to colonize most extensively precolonial regions that were populous and highly developed; in turn, extensive Spanish colonization had negative consequences for postcolonial development. In comparison, liberal Britain tended to colonize most extensively precolonial regions that were sparsely populated and underdeveloped; in turn, extensive British colonialism had comparatively positive effects. Thus, both Spain and Britain reversed the fortunes of precolonial regions, but in largely opposite ways.Recent research argues that European colonialism caused a great reversal in levels of development throughout much of the non-European world

Whitehall in the Caribbean? The legacy of colonial administration for post-colonial democratic development

“…For example, the contemporary literature on comparative politics has pointed to different developmental trajectories depending on whether territories were governed on the basis of 'direct rule' and 'indirect rule', especially in the case of British colonial rule (Gerring, Ziblatt, Van Gorp, & Arevalo, 2011;Lange, Mahoney, & vom Hau, 2008;Mahoney, 2010).…”

Research Note: Measuring the Impacts of Colonialism: A New Data Set for the Countries of Africa and Asia

“…On the other hand, the correlation between his later estimates of the "level of colonialism" (Lange, Mahoney, andvom Hau 2006:1414), defined as "the extent to which a colonizing power installs economic, political, and sociocultural institutions in a colonized territory", and DOMFORM is highly significant (0.71, N= 23 British colonies). 6 While it was in the French colonies abolished by law in 1945, it lasted even longer in the Portuguese empire (Austin 2015:10 (table of relations between political domination and violence available here).…”

“…Heldring and Robinson (2012:6) argue that in two sorts of colonies there is "a clear case to be made for colonialism retarding development," one of them being those with "white settlement." Lange, Mahoney, andvom Hau (2006:1426) even use the size of the European population as statistical proxy for the "level of colonialism. "…”

Beyond the BRICs: Alternative Strategies of Influence in the Global Politics of Development

“…South Africa, South Korea, Turkey and Mexico experienced distinct trajectories of development. Their incorporation into the global capitalist economy and the international state system followed radically different paths -just compare the contrasting colonial legacies left behind in Mexico and South Korea (see Lange et al, 2006;Kohli, 2009), or the distinct strategic roles played by Turkey and South Africa during the Cold War era (see Barber and Barratt, 1990;Aydin, 2000). Or contrast, the recent democratic transitions in those countries, or the levels of economic development they exhibit in relation to each other.…”