Economy, Community and Law: The Turnpike Movement in New York, 1797-1845

Law & Society Review Law & Society Review, Vol. 26, No. 3, pp. 469-512, 1992

45 Pages Posted: 12 Jan 2004

See all articles by Daniel B. Klein

Daniel B. Klein

George Mason University - Department of Economics; George Mason University - Mercatus Center

John Majewski

University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) - Department of Economics

Abstract

Turnpikes promised a solution to the problem of bad roads, but private management of highways was a startling innovation. some people opposed the idea of turnpikes as exemplifying two betes noires of the post-Revolutionary period, the private corporation and aristrocracy. Much of the controversy, however, was rooted in local disputes over legislative concessions to turnpike protesters. The legislature both expressed and responed to turnpike protest by writing laws favorable to local users and injurious to the financial viability of the companies. Partly in consequence, the turnpikes were unprofitable. Landowners, merchants, and farmers struggle to finance turnpikes, not so much in hopes of company dividends but in hopes of improved transportation, stimulated commerce, and higher land values. Many turnpike projects failed to be constructed, and those that were constructed carried on in a condition that reflected their precarious financial state.

Keywords: Public goods, free riding, community, regulation, voluntary provision, turnpikes

Suggested Citation

Klein, Daniel B. and Majewski, John, Economy, Community and Law: The Turnpike Movement in New York, 1797-1845. Law & Society Review Law & Society Review, Vol. 26, No. 3, pp. 469-512, 1992, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=474902

Daniel B. Klein (Contact Author)

George Mason University - Department of Economics ( email )

4400 University Drive
Fairfax, VA 22030
United States

HOME PAGE: http://economics.gmu.edu/people/dklein

George Mason University - Mercatus Center ( email )

3434 Washington Blvd., 4th Floor
Arlington, VA 22201
United States

John Majewski

University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) - Department of Economics ( email )

2127 North Hall
Santa Barbara, CA 93106
United States

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
99
Abstract Views
1,277
Rank
482,506
PlumX Metrics