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It'S A Small World After All: Internet Access And Institutional Quality

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  • Kathleen M. Sheehan
  • Andrew T. Young

Abstract

type="main" xml:id="coep12095-abs-0001"> Using a panel of up to 114 countries covering the years 1990 through 2010, we estimate the effect of Internet use on changes in countries' Economic Freedom of the World (EFW) scores. The point estimates suggest that the marginal effect is generally positive. However, starting from above-average EFW scores (>7.7 out of 10; examples in 2010 include the UK, Switzerland, and Hong Kong) the marginal effect turns negative. Taking this interaction into account, the marginal effect is positive and statistically significant for countries starting at initial EFW scores of around 6 or less. Examples of countries with 2010 EFW scores near this threshold include China, Nigeria, and Pakistan. We discuss mechanisms that potentially generate this conditional relationship between Internet use and institutional change . ( JEL O10, O43, P48)

Suggested Citation

  • Kathleen M. Sheehan & Andrew T. Young, 2015. "It'S A Small World After All: Internet Access And Institutional Quality," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 33(4), pages 649-667, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:coecpo:v:33:y:2015:i:4:p:649-667
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1111/coep.2015.33.issue-4
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    3. Colin O’Reilly & Ryan H. Murphy, 2017. "Exogenous Resource Shocks and Economic Freedom," Comparative Economic Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Association for Comparative Economic Studies, vol. 59(3), pages 243-260, September.
    4. Canh Phuc Nguyen & Nadia Doytch & Christophe Schinckus & Thanh Dinh Su, 2024. "Mobile and internet usage, institutions and the trade balance: Evidence from African countries," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(2), pages 2230-2264, April.
    5. Danko Tarabar & Joshua C. Hall, 2016. "Explaining the worldwide decline in the length of mandatory military service, 1970–2010," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 168(1), pages 55-74, July.
    6. Phuc Nguyen, Canh & Dinh Su, Thanh & Doytch, Nadia, 2020. "The drivers of financial development: Global evidence from internet and mobile usage," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 53(C).
    7. Tushar Bharati & Mohammad Farhad & Michael Jetter, 2023. "On the relationship between trade openness and government size," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 46(7), pages 2102-2133, July.
    8. Justin Callais & Andrew T. Young, 2021. "Does constitutional entrenchment matter for economic freedom?," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 39(4), pages 808-830, October.
    9. Robert A. Lawson & Ryan Murphy & Benjamin Powell, 2020. "The Determinants Of Economic Freedom: A Survey," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 38(4), pages 622-642, October.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • O10 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - General
    • O43 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Institutions and Growth
    • P48 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Other Economic Systems - - - Legal Institutions; Property Rights; Natural Resources; Energy; Environment; Regional Studies

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