Was there an "ecocide" on Easter Island?

The most interesting articles that came to our attention this week

The European Origins of Economic Development. William Easterly and Ross Levine examine the relationship between European settlement during colonisation and contemporary economic development. They find that the relationship is strong and positive. The authors conclude that any adverse effect from the establishment of “extractive institutions” was more than offset by the benefits of human capital and technology.

The Welfare Magnet Hypothesis: Evidence from an Immigrant Welfare Scheme in Denmark. Ole Agersnap and colleagues examine the impact of welfare benefits on immigration to Denmark. Exploiting a policy reform that lowered benefits for non-EU immigrants but not EU immigrants or natives, they find that the net inflow of migrants fell substantially when the reform was introduced and then returned to the previous level when it was repealed.