This article examines common property institutions in Kenya, specifically among Maasai pastoralists.
The Theories:
- Rational choice scholarship offers two main explanations for institutional emergence: cooperation theory and conflict theory.
Our Approach:
- We evaluate these theories empirically to understand why political institutions change.
Contrasting Findings:
- Contrary to expectations, our results show that common property institution formation is best explained by conflict dynamics rather than cooperative ones.
- This finding challenges the intuitive link between peaceful collaboration and institutional creation.
Why It Matters:
- Our research demonstrates how conflict theory provides insights into real-world political transformations.
