IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/epolit/v34y2017i3d10.1007_s40888-017-0057-3.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Institutions and economic growth in Africa: a spatial econometric approach

Author

Listed:
  • Roberto Ganau

    (University of Padova)

Abstract

This paper uses a sample of 50 African countries observed over the period 1981–2001 in order to investigate whether and how institutional factors—i.e. democracy, legislature effectiveness and regime instability—affect the short-run GDP per capita growth. Spatial econometric tools are employed in order to control for the potential spatial dependence existing across neighbour countries. Results suggest a negative effect of democracy and regime instability on growth, while it emerges a positive effect of legislature effectiveness. Spatial externalities seem to matter: being surrounded by countries with a high level of democracy stimulates growth, while regime instability in neighbour countries plays a negative effect. The level of legislature effectiveness in neighbour countries seems to have a negligible effect on the short-run growth in the home country.

Suggested Citation

  • Roberto Ganau, 2017. "Institutions and economic growth in Africa: a spatial econometric approach," Economia Politica: Journal of Analytical and Institutional Economics, Springer;Fondazione Edison, vol. 34(3), pages 425-444, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:epolit:v:34:y:2017:i:3:d:10.1007_s40888-017-0057-3
    DOI: 10.1007/s40888-017-0057-3
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s40888-017-0057-3
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s40888-017-0057-3?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ades, Alberto & Chua, Hak B, 1997. "Thy Neighbor's Curse: Regional Instability and Economic Growth," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 2(3), pages 279-304, September.
    2. anonymous, 1995. "Does the bouncing ball lead to economic growth?," Regional Update, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, issue Jul, pages 1-2,4-6.
    3. Sascha O. Becker & Ludger Woessmann, 2009. "Was Weber Wrong? A Human Capital Theory of Protestant Economic History," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 124(2), pages 531-596.
    4. Masaki, Takaaki & van de Walle, Nicolas, 2014. "The impact of democracy on economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa, 1982-2012," WIDER Working Paper Series 057, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    5. Hansen, Lars Peter, 1982. "Large Sample Properties of Generalized Method of Moments Estimators," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 50(4), pages 1029-1054, July.
    6. Robert J. Barro, 2013. "Inflation and Economic Growth," Annals of Economics and Finance, Society for AEF, vol. 14(1), pages 121-144, May.
    7. Feng, Yi, 1997. "Democracy, Political Stability and Economic Growth," British Journal of Political Science, Cambridge University Press, vol. 27(3), pages 391-418, July.
    8. Yu, Jihai & de Jong, Robert & Lee, Lung-fei, 2008. "Quasi-maximum likelihood estimators for spatial dynamic panel data with fixed effects when both n and T are large," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 146(1), pages 118-134, September.
    9. Arellano, Manuel & Bover, Olympia, 1995. "Another look at the instrumental variable estimation of error-components models," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 68(1), pages 29-51, July.
    10. Yanikkaya, Halit, 2003. "Trade openness and economic growth: a cross-country empirical investigation," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(1), pages 57-89, October.
    11. Dolansky, Eric & Alon, Ilan, 2008. "Religious freedom, religious diversity, and Japanese foreign direct investment," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 22(1), pages 29-39, January.
    12. Moreno, Ramon & Trehan, Bharat, 1997. "Location and the Growth of Nations," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 2(4), pages 399-418, December.
    13. Barro, Robert J, 1996. "Democracy and Growth," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 1(1), pages 1-27, March.
    14. Grier, Robin M, 1999. "Colonial Legacies and Economic Growth," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 98(3-4), pages 317-335, March.
    15. William Easterly & Ross Levine, 1997. "Africa's Growth Tragedy: Policies and Ethnic Divisions," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 112(4), pages 1203-1250.
    16. La Porta, Rafael & Lopez-de-Silanes, Florencio & Shleifer, Andrei & Vishny, Robert, 1999. "The Quality of Government," The Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization, Oxford University Press, vol. 15(1), pages 222-279, April.
    17. James Lesage & Manfred Fischer, 2008. "Spatial Growth Regressions: Model Specification, Estimation and Interpretation," Spatial Economic Analysis, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 3(3), pages 275-304.
    18. Matthew A. Baum & David A. Lake, 2003. "The Political Economy of Growth: Democracy and Human Capital," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 47(2), pages 333-347, April.
    19. Harrison, Ann, 1996. "Openness and growth: A time-series, cross-country analysis for developing countries," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(2), pages 419-447, March.
    20. Daron Acemoglu & Simon Johnson & James A. Robinson, 2002. "Reversal of Fortune: Geography and Institutions in the Making of the Modern World Income Distribution," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 117(4), pages 1231-1294.
    21. Arbia, Giuseppe & Battisti, Michele & Di Vaio, Gianfranco, 2010. "Institutions and geography: Empirical test of spatial growth models for European regions," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 27(1), pages 12-21, January.
    22. Easterly, William & Levine, Ross, 1998. "Troubles with the Neighbours: Africa's Problem, Africa's Opportunity," Journal of African Economies, Centre for the Study of African Economies, vol. 7(1), pages 120-142, March.
    23. Blundell, Richard & Bond, Stephen, 1998. "Initial conditions and moment restrictions in dynamic panel data models," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 87(1), pages 115-143, August.
    24. Robert J. Barro, 1991. "Economic Growth in a Cross Section of Countries," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 106(2), pages 407-443.
    25. Cem Ertur & Wilfried Koch, 2007. "Growth, technological interdependence and spatial externalities: theory and evidence," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 22(6), pages 1033-1062.
    26. Maarten Bosker & Harry Garretsen, 2009. "Economic development and the geography of institutions," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 9(3), pages 295-328, May.
    27. Bernard Fingleton & Enrique López‐Bazo, 2006. "Empirical growth models with spatial effects," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 85(2), pages 177-198, June.
    28. Ferree, Karen & Singh, Smita & Bates, Robert, 1997. "Political Institutions And Economic Growth In Africa," Harvard Institute for International Development (HIID) Papers 294403, Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government.
    29. Ahmad, Mahyudin & Hall, Stephen G., 2012. "Institutions-growth spatial dependence: An empirical test," MPRA Paper 42360, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    30. Bertocchi, Graziella & Canova, Fabio, 2002. "Did colonization matter for growth?: An empirical exploration into the historical causes of Africa's underdevelopment," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 46(10), pages 1851-1871, December.
    31. Fosu, A. K., 2001. "Political instability and economic growth in developing economies: some specification empirics," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 70(2), pages 289-294, February.
    32. Thomas Garrett & Gary Wagner & David Wheelock, 2007. "Regional disparities in the spatial correlation of state income growth, 1977–2002," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 41(3), pages 601-618, September.
    33. László Mátyás & Patrick Sevestre (ed.), 2008. "The Econometrics of Panel Data," Advanced Studies in Theoretical and Applied Econometrics, Springer, number 978-3-540-75892-1.
    34. Robert E. Hall & Charles I. Jones, 1999. "Why do Some Countries Produce So Much More Output Per Worker than Others?," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 114(1), pages 83-116.
    35. Aisen, Ari & Veiga, Francisco José, 2013. "How does political instability affect economic growth?," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 151-167.
    36. Federico Belotti & Gordon Hughes & Andrea Piano Mortari, 2013. "XSMLE: Stata module for spatial panel data models estimation," Statistical Software Components S457610, Boston College Department of Economics, revised 07 Jun 2017.
    37. Nunn, Nathan, 2007. "Historical legacies: A model linking Africa's past to its current underdevelopment," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 83(1), pages 157-175, May.
    38. Xavier Sala-I-Martin, 1997. "Transfers, Social Safety Nets, and Economic Growth," IMF Staff Papers, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 44(1), pages 81-102, March.
    39. Robert H. Bates & Ghada Fayad & Anke Hoeffler, 2012. "The state of democracy in Sub-Saharan Africa," International Area Studies Review, Center for International Area Studies, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, vol. 15(4), pages 323-338, December.
    40. Sergio Rey & Brett Montouri, 1999. "US Regional Income Convergence: A Spatial Econometric Perspective," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 33(2), pages 143-156.
    41. Daron Acemoglu & Simon Johnson & James A. Robinson, 2001. "The Colonial Origins of Comparative Development: An Empirical Investigation," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 91(5), pages 1369-1401, December.
    42. Hirschman, Albert O, 1994. "The On-and-Off Connection between Political and Economic Progress," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 84(2), pages 343-348, May.
    43. NGELEZA, Guyslain K. & FLORAX, Raymond J.G.M. & MASTERS, William A, 2011. "Spatial Inequality: Overcoming Neighborhood Effects In Africa," Applied Econometrics and International Development, Euro-American Association of Economic Development, vol. 11(2).
    44. Alberto Alesina & Paola Giuliano, 2011. "Family Ties And Political Participation," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 9(5), pages 817-839, October.
    45. Maria ABREU & Henri L.F. DE GROOT & Raymond J.G.M. FLORAX, 2005. "Space And Growth: A Survey Of Empirical Evidence And Methods," Region et Developpement, Region et Developpement, LEAD, Universite du Sud - Toulon Var, vol. 21, pages 13-44.
    46. Lee, Lung-fei & Yu, Jihai, 2011. "Estimation of Spatial Panels," Foundations and Trends(R) in Econometrics, now publishers, vol. 4(1–2), pages 1-164, April.
    47. James C. Murdoch & Todd Sandler, 2002. "Economic Growth, Civil Wars, and Spatial Spillovers," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 46(1), pages 91-110, February.
    48. Paelinck, J., 1978. "Spatial econometrics," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 1(1), pages 59-63.
    49. Gupta, Dipak K. & Madhavan, M. C. & Blee, Andrew, 1998. "Democracy, economic growth and political instability: An integrated perspective," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 27(5), pages 587-611.
    50. Aron, Janine, 2000. "Growth and Institutions: A Review of the Evidence," The World Bank Research Observer, World Bank, vol. 15(1), pages 99-135, February.
    51. Robert J. Barro, 2003. "Determinants of Economic Growth in a Panel of Countries," Annals of Economics and Finance, Society for AEF, vol. 4(2), pages 231-274, November.
    52. Charles Plaigin, 2009. "Exploratory study on the presence of cultural and institutional growth spillovers," DULBEA Working Papers 09-03.RS, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    53. David Stasavage, 2005. "Democracy and Education Spending in Africa," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 49(2), pages 343-358, April.
    54. Alesina, Alberto & Özler, Sule & Roubini, Nouriel & Swagel, Phillip, 1996. "Political Instability and Economic Growth," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 1(2), pages 189-211, June.
    55. Ahmad, Mahyudin & Hall, Stephen G., 2012. "Institutions and growth: Testing the spatial effect using weight matrix based on the institutional distance concept," MPRA Paper 42294, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    56. Philip Keefer, 2007. "Clientelism, Credibility, and the Policy Choices of Young Democracies," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 51(4), pages 804-821, October.
    57. Peter Claeys & Fabio Manca, 2011. "A missing spatial link in institutional quality," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(3), pages 223-227.
    58. Jong-A-Pin, Richard, 2009. "On the measurement of political instability and its impact on economic growth," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 25(1), pages 15-29, March.
    59. Long Ying, 2005. "From physical to general spaces: A spatial econometric analysis of cross-country economic growth and institutions," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 39(2), pages 393-418, June.
    60. Manuel Arellano & Stephen Bond, 1991. "Some Tests of Specification for Panel Data: Monte Carlo Evidence and an Application to Employment Equations," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 58(2), pages 277-297.
    61. Antonio J. Mora & Esther Vayá & Jordi Suriñach & Enrique López-Bazo, 1999. "original: Regional economic dynamics and convergence in the European Union," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 33(3), pages 343-370.
    62. Kwabena Gyimah-Brempong & Marva E. Corley, 2005. "Civil Wars and Economic Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa1," Journal of African Economies, Centre for the Study of African Economies, vol. 14(2), pages 270-311, June.
    63. Wang, Qunyong & Lin, Xinyu, 2014. "Does religious beliefs affect economic growth? Evidence from provincial-level panel data in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 277-287.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Luisa Alamá-Sabater & Teresa Fernández-Núñez & Miguel Ángel Márquez & Javier Salinas-Jimenez, 2020. "Do Countries with Similar Levels of Corruption Compete to Attract Foreign Investment? Evidence Using World Panel Data," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-15, July.
    2. Kurukulasuriya Dinesh Udana Devindra Fernando & Thambawita Maddumage Nimali Tharanga & Narayanage Jayantha Dewasiri & Kiran Sood & Simon Grima & Eleftherios Thalassinos, 2023. "Insurance Penetration and Institutional Spillover on Economic Growth: A Dynamic Spatial Econometric Approach on the Asian and Europe Region," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 16(8), pages 1-21, August.
    3. Juan Manuel Aristizábal & Gustavo A. García, 2021. "Regional economic growth and convergence: The role of institutions and spillover effects in Colombia," Regional Science Policy & Practice, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 13(4), pages 1146-1161, August.
    4. Mahyudin Ahmad & Siong Hook Law, 2024. "Financial development, institutions, and economic growth nexus: A spatial econometrics analysis using geographical and institutional proximities," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(3), pages 2699-2721, July.
    5. Forson, Joseph Ato & Opoku, Rosemary Afrakomah & Peng, Zhen, 2017. "Innovation, Institutions and Economic Growth in Sub-Sahara Africa – an IV Estimation of a Panel Threshold Model," MPRA Paper 103063, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 15 Mar 2018.
    6. Sinan Erdogan & Ali Acaravci, 2022. "On the Nexus Between Institutions and Economic Development: An Empirical Analysis for Sub-Saharan African Countries," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 34(4), pages 1857-1892, August.
    7. Mahyudin Ahmad & Stephen G. Hall, 2023. "The growth effects of economic and political institutions: new evidence from spatial econometrics analysis using historical-based institutional matrix," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 56(2), pages 749-780, April.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Sumarto, Sudarno & De Silva, Indunil, 2014. "Being Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise: Dynamics of Indonesian Subnational Growth and Poverty," MPRA Paper 57824, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Ahmad, Mahyudin & Hall, Stephen G., 2012. "Institutions and growth: Testing the spatial effect using weight matrix based on the institutional distance concept," MPRA Paper 42294, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Merve Aksoylar Baysoy & Sumru Altug, 2021. "Growth Spillovers for the MENA Region: Geography, Institutions, or Trade?," The Developing Economies, Institute of Developing Economies, vol. 59(3), pages 275-305, September.
    4. Mahyudin Ahmad & Stephen G. Hall, 2023. "The growth effects of economic and political institutions: new evidence from spatial econometrics analysis using historical-based institutional matrix," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 56(2), pages 749-780, April.
    5. Indunil De Silva & Sudarno Sumarto, 2015. "Dynamics Of Growth, Poverty And Human Capital: Evidence From Indonesian Sub-National Data," Journal of Economic Development, Chung-Ang Unviersity, Department of Economics, vol. 40(2), pages 1-33, June.
    6. Carmignani, Fabrizio & Mandeville, Thomas, 2014. "Never been industrialized: A tale of African structural change," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 124-137.
    7. Ignacio Amate-Fortes & Almudena Guarnido-Rueda & Agustin Molina-Morales, 2017. "Economic and Social Determinants of Human Development: A New Perspective," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 133(2), pages 561-577, September.
    8. Smaoui, Houcem & Nechi, Salem, 2017. "Does sukuk market development spur economic growth?," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 136-147.
    9. Asongu Simplice & Andrés Antonio, 2014. "Global trajectories, dynamics, and tendencies of business software piracy: benchmarking IPRs harmonization," Working Papers of the African Governance and Development Institute. 14/011, African Governance and Development Institute..
    10. Capolupo, Rosa, 2009. "The New Growth Theories and Their Empirics after Twenty Years," Economics - The Open-Access, Open-Assessment E-Journal (2007-2020), Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel), vol. 3, pages 1-72.
    11. Aisen, Ari & Veiga, Francisco José, 2013. "How does political instability affect economic growth?," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 151-167.
    12. Jülide Yildirim & Nadir Öcal, 2016. "Military expenditures, economic growth and spatial spillovers," Defence and Peace Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(1), pages 87-104, February.
    13. Francisco José Veiga, 2013. "Instituições, Estabilidade Política e Desempenho Económico Implicações para Portugal," NIPE Working Papers 11/2013, NIPE - Universidade do Minho.
    14. Ahmad, Mahyudin & Hall, Stephen G., 2017. "Economic growth and convergence: Do institutional proximity and spillovers matter?," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 39(6), pages 1065-1085.
    15. Theo S. Eicher & David J. Kuenzel, 2019. "European influence and economic development," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 52(2), pages 667-734, May.
    16. Kezia De Lucas Bondezan & Joilson Dias, 2014. "Crescimento Econômico De Longo Prazo No Brasil: Uma Abordagem Sobre O Da Acumulação De Capital E Das Instituições," Anais do XLI Encontro Nacional de Economia [Proceedings of the 41st Brazilian Economics Meeting] 096, ANPEC - Associação Nacional dos Centros de Pós-Graduação em Economia [Brazilian Association of Graduate Programs in Economics].
    17. Jeffry A. Jacob & Thomas Osang, 2018. "Democracy And Growth: A Dynamic Panel Data Study," The Singapore Economic Review (SER), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 65(01), pages 41-80, August.
    18. Vu, K.M., 2017. "Structural change and economic growth: Empirical evidence and policy insights from Asian economies," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 64-77.
    19. Merve Aksoylar Baysoy & Sumru Altug, 2019. "Growth Spillovers in the MENA Region," Koç University-TUSIAD Economic Research Forum Working Papers 1909, Koc University-TUSIAD Economic Research Forum.
    20. Oualid Lajili and Philippe Gilles, 2018. "Financial Liberalization, Political Openness and Growth in Developing Countries: Relationship and Transmission Channels," Journal of Economic Development, Chung-Ang Unviersity, Department of Economics, vol. 43(1), pages 1-27, March.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Institutions; Economic growth; Africa; Spatial econometrics;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C31 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Cross-Sectional Models; Spatial Models; Treatment Effect Models; Quantile Regressions; Social Interaction Models
    • C33 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
    • E02 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General - - - Institutions and the Macroeconomy
    • O43 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Institutions and Growth

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:epolit:v:34:y:2017:i:3:d:10.1007_s40888-017-0057-3. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.