Working Paper: CEPR ID: DP9760
Authors: Guy Michaels; Ferdinand Rauch
Abstract: Do locational fundamentals such as coastlines and rivers determine town locations, or can historical events trap towns in unfavorable locations for centuries? We examine the effects on town locations of the collapse of the Western Roman Empire, which temporarily ended urbanization in Britain, but not in France. As urbanization recovered, medieval towns were more often found in Roman-era town locations in France than in Britain, and this difference still persists today. The resetting of Britain's urban network gave it better access to naturally navigable waterways when this was important, while many French towns remained without such access.
Keywords: Economic Geography; Economic History; Path Dependence; Transportation
JEL Codes: N93; O18; R11
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| collapse of the Western Roman Empire (N93) | reset of Britain's urban network (R42) |
| reset of Britain's urban network (R42) | reconfiguration to locations with better access to navigable waterways (R53) |
| reconfiguration to locations with better access to navigable waterways (R53) | enhancement of trade and urban growth (N93) |
| historical continuity and influence of local bishops (N93) | maintenance of town locations in France (R53) |
| persistence of towns near Roman sites in France (N93) | higher likelihood of town location persistence in France than in Britain (N93) |
| towns in Britain (N93) | more likely to have coastal access during the Middle Ages (N93) |
| towns with coastal access (Q26) | outperform towns without in terms of population growth over centuries (R11) |
| presence of bishops (Z12) | sustained economic activity in less favorable locations in France (R11) |
| historical events (e.g., fall of the Roman Empire) (N00) | significant influence on urban network configurations (D85) |