This article tests for convergence of freedom using Freedom House's (2002) indices of political rights and civil liberties in 136 countries from 1972 to 2001. Time-series tests, using structural breaks, are employed to test for stochastic and β-convergence. Cross-section tests are performed to examine the impact of legal systems, education, natural resources, economic freedom, and other variables. We find that political freedoms are converging for one-half of the countries. Additionally, we find that the level of freedom is significantly related to the legal system, education, economic freedom, and natural resources. (JEL O57, O40, C3) Copyright 2004, Oxford University Press.
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Article provided by Oxford University Press in its journal Economic Inquiry.
Volume (Year): 42 (2004) Issue (Month): 2 (April) Pages: 323-340 Download reference. The following formats are available: HTML
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Find related papers by JEL classification: O57 - Economic Development, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Comparative Studies of Countries O40 - Economic Development, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - General C3 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables
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Martin Gassebner & Michael J. Lamla & James Raymond Vreeland, 2009.
"Extreme Bounds of Democracy,"
KOF Working papers
09-224, KOF Swiss Economic Institute, ETH Zurich.
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