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| Title |
Do Legislatures Matter for Economic Growth? |
| Topic(s) |
Business Enabling Environment, Institutional Reform |
| Summary |
Scholars have recently demonstrated that political institutions are an important (some would
argue the most important) determinant of long-run rates of economic growth. They argue that
countries with "broad-based" political institutions are more likely to adopt good economic
institutions, such as those that protect property rights and foster a transparent business
environment, which, over the long run, contribute to greater levels of national income. Yet,
although scholars have identified political institutions as a primary determinant of long-run rates
of economic growth, they have not examined the effect of specific political institutions on
economic performance.
This working paper provides a new and arguably more fruitful way to think about the way that political
institutions affect economic growth, one that examines the power of specific offices. In
particular, it focuses on the strength of the national legislature and its effect on economic
development. We argue, and the evidence confirms, that countries with more powerful national
legislatures enjoy higher long-run rates of economic growth. |
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About the Author |
| Name |
Matthew Kroenig and Meral Karan-Delhaye |
| Organization |
Georgetown University, DAI |
| Title |
Assistant Professor, Political Economy Specialist |
| Matthew Kroenig is Assistant Professor in the Department of Government at Georgetown University and a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He has published widely, including as coauthor of the Handbook of National Legislatures (including the Parliamentary Powers Index). Meral Karan-Delhaye is a political economy specialist in the Governance Sector at DAI, where she provides technical assistance to legislative strengthening and economic governance programs worldwide. |
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