The Zollverein was the first international customs union, essentially defining these particular trade agreements. This paper utilizes the predictions of a game theoretic model to analyse the observed sequence of accessions into this union. Coalition externalities, the effects the accession of...

Changes in trade institutions, such as the abolishment of tariff barriers, have a potentially strong impact on economic development. The Zollverein, the 1834 customs union between German states, erased borders in much of central Europe. This paper investigates the Zollverein's economic impact...