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The Determinants of Governance: A Cross‐Country Analysis

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  • Fahim Al‐Marhubi

Abstract

Drawing on insights from economic, political, and cultural theories of governance, this article investigates the determinants of governance for a large sample of countries, both developed and developing. The results indicate that countries with a history of Western European influence and with British common law origins have better governance. In addition to these exogenous and historically predetermined variables, economic factors such as openness to trade, resource‐intensity in exports, and levels of economic development have a significant impact on governance. (JEL D73, H11, K42)

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  • Fahim Al‐Marhubi, 2004. "The Determinants of Governance: A Cross‐Country Analysis," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 22(3), pages 394-406, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:coecpo:v:22:y:2004:i:3:p:394-406
    DOI: 10.1093/cep/byh029
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    3. Ezcurra, Roberto & Zuazu, Izaskun, 2019. "Political equality and quality of government," MPRA Paper 96476, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Langbein, Laura & Knack, Stephen, 2008. "The worldwide governance indicators and tautology : causally related separable concepts, indicators of a common cause, or both ?," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4669, The World Bank.
    5. Karbhari, Yusuf & Muye, Ibrahim & Hassan, Ahmad Fahmi S. & Elnahass, Marwa, 2018. "Governance mechanisms and efficiency: Evidence from an alternative insurance (Takaful) market," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 71-92.
    6. Gouda Moamen & Park Sang-Min, 2015. "Religious Loyalty and Acceptance of Corruption," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 235(2), pages 184-206, April.
    7. Law, Siong Hook & Lim, Thong Cheen & Ismail, Normaz Wana, 2013. "Institutions and economic development: A Granger causality analysis of panel data evidence," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 37(4), pages 610-624.
    8. Saha, Shrabani & Ben Ali, Mohamed Sami, 2017. "Corruption and Economic Development: New Evidence from the Middle Eastern and North African Countries," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 83-95.
    9. Sarhan, Ahmed A. & Ntim, Collins G. & Al-Najjar, Basil, 2019. "Antecedents of audit quality in MENA countries: The effect of firm- and country-level governance quality," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 85-107.
    10. Mohammad Reza Farzanegan & Stefan Witthuhn, 2014. "Demographic transition and political stability: Does corruption matter?," MAGKS Papers on Economics 201459, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics, Department of Economics (Volkswirtschaftliche Abteilung).
    11. Konstantinos Rontos & Maria-Eleni Syrmali & Ioannis Vavouras, 2015. "The Determinants of Governance: A Global Analysis," International Journal of Finance, Insurance and Risk Management, International Journal of Finance, Insurance and Risk Management, vol. 5(2), pages 868-868.
    12. Fathi Ali & Norbert Fiess & Ronald Macdonald, 2011. "Climbing To The Top? Foreign Direct Investment And Property Rights," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 49(1), pages 289-302, January.
    13. Tarverdi, Yashar & Saha, Shrabani & Campbell, Neil, 2019. "Governance, democracy and development," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 220-233.
    14. Mr. Jiro Honda, 2008. "Do IMF Programs Improve Economic Governance?," IMF Working Papers 2008/114, International Monetary Fund.
    15. Mukherjee, Deepraj & Dutta, Nabamita, 2018. "What determines governance across nations: Do economic and social globalization play a role?," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 103-113.
    16. Laura Langbein & Stephen Knack, 2010. "The Worldwide Governance Indicators: Six, One, or None?," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 46(2), pages 350-370.
    17. Siong Law & W. Azman-Saini, 2012. "Institutional quality, governance, and financial development," Economics of Governance, Springer, vol. 13(3), pages 217-236, September.
    18. Ezcurra, Roberto & Rodríguez-Pose, Andrés, 2013. "Does Economic Globalization affect Regional Inequality? A Cross-country Analysis," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 92-103.
    19. Cheche Duan & Yicheng Zhou & Dehong Shen & Shengqiao Lin & Wei Gong & József Popp & Judit Oláh, 2021. "The Misunderstanding of China’s Investment, and a Clarification: “Faustian Bargain” or “Good Bargain”? On the OFDI Data of Central and Eastern Europe," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-25, September.
    20. Kostas Rontos & Maria-Eleni Syrmali & Ioannis Vavouras, 2015. "Economic, political and social determinants of governance worldwide," Journal of Social and Economic Development, Springer;Institute for Social and Economic Change, vol. 17(2), pages 105-119, October.
    21. Adeeba Sarwar & Muhammad Azmat Hayat, 2021. "A Nexus among Institutions, Education and Economic Growth: An Analysis of Developing Countries," Asian Economic and Financial Review, Asian Economic and Social Society, vol. 11(1), pages 30-42, January.
    22. Mohammad Sharif Karimi & Elham Heshmati Daiari, 2018. "Does Institutions Matter for Economic Development? Evidence for ASEAN Selected Countries," Iranian Economic Review (IER), Faculty of Economics,University of Tehran.Tehran,Iran, vol. 22(1), pages 1-20, Winter.
    23. Tom'av{s} Evan & Vladim'ir Hol'y, 2021. "Cultural Diversity and Its Impact on Governance," Papers 2112.11563, arXiv.org.
    24. Balcilar, Mehmet & Gupta, Rangan & Lee, Chien-Chiang & Olasehinde-Williams, Godwin, 2020. "Insurance and economic policy uncertainty," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    25. Siddiqui, Danish Ahmed & Ahmed, Qazi Masood, 2013. "The effect of institutions on economic growth: A global analysis based on GMM dynamic panel estimation," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 18-33.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D73 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Bureaucracy; Administrative Processes in Public Organizations; Corruption
    • H11 - Public Economics - - Structure and Scope of Government - - - Structure and Scope of Government
    • K42 - Law and Economics - - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior - - - Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law

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