Pollution is one of the world’s primary causes of premature death, but macroeconomic analysis largely neglects the existence of such negative externality. We build a tractable multi-sector
growth model where innovations raise productivity, a polluting primary sector exploits natural
resources, emissions increase mortality, and fertility is endogenous. The response of the mortality rate to changes in population size is generally ambiguous and often non-monotonic, and
re‡ects a precise equilibrium relationship that combines emission intensity, dilution e¤ects and
labor reallocation e¤ects caused by technology. Deadly spillovers a¤ect welfare through multiple
channels – including market-size e¤ects – and create additional steady states, including mortality traps that undermine development in less populated resource-rich countries even for low emission elasticities. Emission taxes yield double dividends in terms of income and population
capacity, whereas subsidies to primary production reduce potential population and may trigger
population implosion especially if combined with new discoveries of polluting primary resources.

We study the effect of resource discoveries on dictator failure. We extend existing conflict literature by developing a dynamic stochastic model where timing of attack and probability of success are endogenous. Incumbent and opposition invest in military arsenals which determine success probability, while opposition also chooses when to stage a coup. A resource discovery delays the attack and reduces the probability of overthrow. We test these hypotheses using duration models and timing of giant oil and gas discoveries, finding that large discoveries more than double remaining time until failure and reduce hazard faced by an autocrat by 30 - 50%.

Existing theories of the effects of the printing press treat it as speeding up the transmission of technical knowledge. This cannot explain why a large proportion of both manuscripts and early printed books was religious. We argue that books transmitted prudential and moral rules as well as technical information. These culturally transmitted rules encouraged work and saving, and mitigated problems of trust in early modern markets. We detail the contexts, content, and demand for enculturation. We then model the effect of the printing press on economic growth. We show that cultural change may be necessary to increase productivity before the development of knowledge and the take-off into modern economic growth can happen.

Should the government run an uncertain fiscal policy to finance its liabilities? We call the resulting extrinsic uncertainty taxspots, and study under what conditions taxspots are optimal, and persistent, in standard
Ramsey problems.