We discuss recent work evaluating the role of the government in shaping the economy
during the long nineteenth century, a practice we refer to as industrial policy. States …

While the growth of digital infrastructure theoretically offers increased opportunities for
enterprises, the policy implications may vary depending on the firm size. We utilize the pilot …

We use newly digitized records from the US Post Office to study how strengthening state
capacity affects public service delivery and innovation in over 2,700 cities between 1875 …

This paper studies how information and communication technology (ICT) affects the firm
geographic organization and its implications on aggregate efficiency. ICT can widen firms' …

Why has collaboration become increasingly central to technological progress? We
document the role of lowered travel costs by combining patent data with the rollout of the …

How should research resources be allocated across space to have the most beneficial
impact on society? Prior studies suggest that scientists are influenced by the local ideas they …

How do banks affect innovation when there exist liquidity constraints? Between 1750 and
1825, country banks in England and Wales provided short-term loans to clients due to legal …

In my dissertation, I explore the connection between economic history and political economy
in three ways. Chapter 1, studies the effects of a postal program in the US at the turn of the …