From Open to Closed Societies: Inequality, Migration, and Women Rights

Maurizio Lisciandra (Università di Roma LUMSA)
Marco Casari (University of Bologna)
Ali Seyhun Saral (IAST Toulouse)

Abstract

What makes a society open or close to migration? We track six centuries of institutional history of hundreds of communities in an Italian region and observed a gradual closure to outsiders and an erosion of women's property rights. This empirical and computational study traces the trajectory of institutional change, identifying the mechanisms behind it. Resource inequality spurred migration, prompting wealthier communities to restrict access to common resources; these restrictions targeted women. This led to a domino effect in institutional change and a lock-in of a patrilineal system. A subsequent centralized action reinstated an open and egalitarian system, which would have been impossible to reach bottom-up. Our computational model not only aligns with historical patterns but also illustrates how gender-biased institutions can emerge from strategic incentives rather than ideology. This research provides insights into contemporary issues of citizenship, migration, and property rights, particularly in developing countries.