Small farms, externalities, and the dust bowl of the 1930s

Zeynep K. Hansen, Gary D. Libecap

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

130 Scopus citations

Abstract

We provide a new and more complete analysis of the origins of the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, one of the most severe environmental crises in North America in the twentieth century. Severe drought and wind erosion hit the Great Plains in 1930 and lasted through 1940. There were similar droughts in the 1950s and 1970s, but no comparable level of wind erosion. We explain why. The prevalence of small farms in the 1930s limited private solutions for controlling the downwind externalities associated with wind erosion. Drifting sand from unprotected fields damaged neighboring farms. Small farmers cultivated more of their land and were less likely to invest in erosion control than larger farmers. Soil conservation districts, established by the government after 1937, helped coordinate erosion control. This "unitized" solution for collective action is similar to that used in other natural resource/environmental settings.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)665-694
Number of pages30
JournalJournal of Political Economy
Volume112
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2004

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Small farms, externalities, and the dust bowl of the 1930s'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this