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Democracy and Growth: A Relationship Revisited

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  • Ludovic Comeau

    (DePaul University)

Abstract

A considerable theoretical and empirical literature failed to reach consensus on the relevance of the nature of political regimes for economic performance. Research on democracy's effect on growth is inconclusive. At the same time, a few studies and cases find authoritarianism to display growth-enhancing attributes. This paper revisits the issue, finding that the debate severely lacks an appropriate description of pertinent characteristics of the sociopolitical environment. Using the framework of the neoclassical growth theory, a model is augmented with a more comprehensive representation of the political economy. It assumes a nonlinear relationship between regime type and economic growth, and introduces the concept of initial democratic capital. The results suggest that democracies are more conducive to growth, particularly in the presence of a tradition of democracy. Sociopolitical stability is also shown to be a necessary complementary condition. Economic freedom and high-level human capital are found favorable for growth. Democracy and economic freedom exhibit diminishing marginal returns for growth. The results are robust to different specifications of the model.

Suggested Citation

  • Ludovic Comeau, 2003. "Democracy and Growth: A Relationship Revisited," Eastern Economic Journal, Eastern Economic Association, vol. 29(1), pages 1-21, Winter.
    • Handle: RePEc:eej:eeconj:v:29:y:2003:i:1:p:1-21
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Roger Alejandro Banegas Rivero & Marco Alberto Nunez Ramirez & Yesenia Clark Mendivil, 2020. "Landlocked Countries, Institutions and Economic Dynamics," Asian Economic and Financial Review, Asian Economic and Social Society, vol. 10(2), pages 160-188, February.
    3. Davis, Lewis S., 2018. "Political economy of growth with a taste for status," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 168(C), pages 35-46.
    4. Madeeha Gohar Qureshi & Eatzaz Ahmed, 2012. "The Inter-linkages between Democracy and Per Capita GDP Growth: A Cross Country Analysis," PIDE-Working Papers 2012:85, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics.
    5. Wafa Ghardallou & Abdelkader Boudriga, 2014. "Financial Development and Democracy: is the Relationship Non-Linear?," Working Papers 886, Economic Research Forum, revised Dec 2014.
    6. Maddah, Majid & Ghaffari Nejad, Amir Hossein & Sargolzaei, Mostafa, 2022. "Natural resources, political competition, and economic growth: An empirical evidence from dynamic panel threshold kink analysis in Iranian provinces," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    7. Wafa Ghardallou & Dorsaf Sridi, 2020. "Democracy and Economic Growth: a Literature Review," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 11(3), pages 982-1002, September.
    8. Daniel Sakyi & Samuel Adams, 2012. "Democracy, Government Spending and Economic Growth: The Case of Ghana, 1960–2008," Margin: The Journal of Applied Economic Research, National Council of Applied Economic Research, vol. 6(3), pages 361-383, August.
    9. Dasgupta, Shouro & Bhattacharya, Debapriya & Neethi, Dwitiya Jawher, 2013. "Does Democracy Impact Economic Growth? Exploring the Case of Bangladesh – A Cointegrated VAR Approach," MPRA Paper 56621, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. Desiree Sama-Lang, 2024. "Democracy and Inclusive Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa," International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation, International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI), vol. 11(4), pages 824-834, April.
    11. Claude Diebolt & Tapas Mishra & Bazoumana Ouattara & Mamata Parhi, 2013. "Democracy and Economic Growth in an Interdependent World," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(4), pages 733-749, September.
    12. Wafa Ghardallou, 2022. "Financial System Development and Democracy: a Panel Smooth Transition Regression Approach for Developing Countries," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 13(2), pages 1714-1735, June.
    13. Commander, Simon & Nikoloski, Zlatko, 2010. "Institutions and Economic Performance: What Can Be Explained?," IZA Discussion Papers 5247, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    14. Brieger Stefan & Markwardt Gunther, 2020. "The Democracy–Economy-Nexus," Review of Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 71(2), pages 135-167, August.
    15. Doucouliagos, Chris & Ulubasoglu, Mehmet Ali, 2006. "Economic freedom and economic growth: Does specification make a difference?," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 22(1), pages 60-81, March.
    16. Libman, Alexander, 2008. "Democracy and growth: is the effect non-linear?," MPRA Paper 17795, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    17. Pakhnin, M. & Shapovalov, R., 2023. "Democratic capital and economic growth in the countries of the third wave of democratization," Journal of the New Economic Association, New Economic Association, vol. 58(1), pages 12-31.
    18. Pääkkönen, Jenni, 2009. "Economic freedom as a driver for growth in transition," BOFIT Discussion Papers 1/2009, Bank of Finland Institute for Emerging Economies (BOFIT).
    19. Khawar Abbas & Muqarab Abbas & Faisal Azeem Abbassi, 2022. "An Empirical Investigation into the Contribution of Foreign Aid to Economic Growth in Developing Countries: Exploring the Role of Democracy," Journal of Economic Impact, Science Impact Publishers, vol. 4(2), pages 32-38.
    20. Wandeda, Dickson O. & Masai, Wafula & Myandemo, Samuel M., 2021. "Institutional quality and economic growth: evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa countries," African Journal of Economic Review, African Journal of Economic Review, vol. 9(4), September.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Authoritarianism; Democracy; Growth; Political;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O17 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Formal and Informal Sectors; Shadow Economy; Institutional Arrangements
    • O47 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Empirical Studies of Economic Growth; Aggregate Productivity; Cross-Country Output Convergence
    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior

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