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Democracy and reforms

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  • Amin, Mohammad
  • Djankov, Simeon

Abstract

The authors use a sample of 147 countries to investigate the link between democracy and reforms. Democracy may be conducive to reforms, because politicians have the incentive to embrace growth-enhancing reforms to win elections. By contrast, authoritarian regimes do not have to worry as much about public opinion and may undertake reforms that are painful in the short run but bring future prosperity. This paper tests these hypotheses, using data on micro-economic reforms from the World Bank's Doing Business database. These data do not suffer the endogeneity issues associated with other datasets on changes in economic institutions. The results provide robust support for the claim that democracy is good for growth-enhancing reforms.

Suggested Citation

  • Amin, Mohammad & Djankov, Simeon, 2009. "Democracy and reforms," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4835, The World Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:4835
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    8. Djankov, Simeon & La Porta, Rafael & Lopez-de-Silanes, Florencio & Shleifer, Andrei, 2008. "The law and economics of self-dealing," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(3), pages 430-465, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. EZZAT Riham Ahmed, 2015. "Paving the Way for Better Telecom Performance: Evidence from the Telecommunication Sector in MENA Countries," Review of Network Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 14(3), pages 157-199, September.
    2. Amin, Mohammad & Djankov, Simeon, 2009. "Natural resources and reforms," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4882, The World Bank.
    3. Riham Ahmed Ezzat, 2015. "Paving the way for better telecom performance: Evidence from the telecommunication sector in MENA countries," Université Paris1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (Post-Print and Working Papers) halshs-01164199, HAL.
    4. Beti Zafirova & Sonja Topuzovska & Julija Zhivadinovik & Marija Andonova, 2017. "Public Health Aspects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Patients Who Have Experienced a Car Accident," European Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies Articles, Revistia Research and Publishing, vol. 3, ejis_v3_i.
    5. Mawussé K. N. Okey, 2011. "Institutional Reforms, Private Sector, and Economic Growth in Africa," WIDER Working Paper Series 040, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    6. Alexander Salhi & Andreas Kern & Martin Rößler, 2010. "Growth Patterns in the CIS-8: A Political Economy Approach," Transition Studies Review, Springer;Central Eastern European University Network (CEEUN), vol. 17(4), pages 686-708, December.
    7. Mawussé K. N. Okey, 2011. "Institutional Reforms, Private Sector, and Economic Growth in Africa," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2011-040, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    8. Leone Leonida & Dario Maimone Ansaldo Patti & Pietro Navarra, 2013. "Testing the Political Replacement Effect: A Panel Data Analysis," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 75(6), pages 785-805, December.
    9. Riham Ahmed Ezzat, 2015. "Paving the way for better telecom performance: Evidence from the telecommunication sector in MENA countries," Post-Print halshs-01164199, HAL.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Parliamentary Government; Legal Products; Labor Policies; Public Sector Corruption&Anticorruption Measures; Emerging Markets;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • K20 - Law and Economics - - Regulation and Business Law - - - General
    • L51 - Industrial Organization - - Regulation and Industrial Policy - - - Economics of Regulation
    • P11 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Capitalist Economies - - - Planning, Coordination, and Reform
    • P16 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Capitalist Economies - - - Capitalist Institutions; Welfare State

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