Commerce and Cooperation: Litigation and Settlement of Civil Disputes on the Australian Frontier, 1860–1990
研究了1860-1900年新南威尔士州民事纠纷的演变，发现人均纠纷下降、庭前和解比例上升，但边疆和交通不便地区和解率更低，表明市场交易促进非正式规则和合作。
I examine the evolution of conflict and cooperation during economic growth by analyzing civil disputes in New South Wales between 1860 and 1900. Disputes per capita fell over time and the proportion of cases settled before trial increased, but patterns varied across locations and types of disputes. Economic conflicts were likelier to be settled than personal disputes, and the fraction of cases settled was significantly lower in frontier areas and in districts without access to transportation. The results suggest that increased market exchange facilitates the development of informal rules and encourages transactors to find cooperative solutions through private bargaining.