Did high-yield seeds help opposition parties gain power? This paper examines how agricultural technology influenced political representation - specifically weakened single-party dominance through strengthening excluded farmers.
Using a theoretical framework based on contest models, it argues that HYV crops boosted incentives and capacity among politically marginalized groups to seek greater electoral voice.
Analysis focuses on India's green revolution period (mid-20th century). Exploiting district-level differences in crop suitability via instrumental variables techniques reveals:
- Impact of Timing: Examines when new seeds were introduced
- Excluded Group Effects: Shows how agrarian producers gained influence
- Key Finding: The revolution played a pivotal role weakening single-party rule by increasing political representation capacity.
This supports theories linking tech innovation to democratization processes, especially in developing nations with agricultural focus.
