Fernando Arteaga

Fernando Arteaga serves as the Academic Director of the Penn Initiative for the Study of Markets at the University of Pennsylvania's Department of Economics, where he holds the position of Senior Fellow. His academic foundation includes a Ph.D. in Economics from George Mason University and a Bachelor's degree in Economics from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México.

Arteaga's research sits at the intersection of economic history, new institutional economics, and development economics. He investigates institutional forces driving political unification and fragmentation across jurisdictions, with particular focus on the Spanish Empire from the 16th to 19th centuries. His work examines how historical processes shaped the formation of Latin American nations, analyzing the co-evolution of institutions that foster trade and those that limit conflict and predation.

His publication record reveals a consistent focus on historical political economy, particularly regarding colonial institutions and their modern implications. Recent work explores Spanish trade networks, the Manila Galleon system, and the relationship between monopoly rents and corruption. Earlier research examines pre-colonial indigenous settlements in Mexico and their long-term developmental impacts. His methodological approach combines historical analysis with economic modeling, often employing novel datasets to test theoretical frameworks about institutional development.

Arteaga's collaborative work spans multiple continents and disciplines, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of his research interests. His projects frequently address fundamental questions about state formation, institutional persistence, and the historical roots of contemporary development challenges.