Findings from Dell's Study on the Mita System's Lasting Effects

Divided Germany: A Natural Experiment on Capitalism and Central Planning

Discontinuity Technique in Econometrics

Geographic Boundary as a Discontinuity in the Mita Study

A study investigated the long-term economic impact of a historical forced labor system by comparing outcomes in villages just inside the system's geographic boundary with villages just outside of it. Why is this specific comparison of adjacent villages a methodologically sound approach for identifying the system's true effects?

Designing a Historical Impact Study

A study examines the long-term economic impact of a historical forced labor system by comparing outcomes in communities located just inside the system's geographic boundary with communities located just outside of it. The logic is that communities near the boundary are similar in most respects, except for their historical exposure to the system. Which of the following potential issues represents the most significant threat to the validity of this research design's conclusion?

Evaluating Alternative Research Designs

A historical study analyzed the long-term effects of a forced labor system by comparing communities on either side of the system's fixed geographic boundary. Match each element of this research design with its correct description in the context of the study.

In a study analyzing the long-term effects of a historical forced labor system defined by a geographic boundary, the most robust comparison for establishing a causal link would be between a randomly selected community deep within the boundary and a randomly selected community far outside of it.

Controlling for Confounding Variables

A researcher wants to use a historical geographic boundary to isolate the long-term causal effects of a specific policy that was applied to only one side. Arrange the following steps into the correct logical sequence for conducting this type of study.

Critique of a Proposed Research Design

A study uses a historical geographic boundary to analyze the long-term impact of an economic system that was applied only to communities on one side. The analysis reveals a sharp drop in household wealth for communities located just inside the boundary compared to those just outside. For this 'discontinuity' in wealth to be validly interpreted as the causal effect of the historical system, which of the following must be the most critical assumption?