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State history and corruption

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  • Owen, P. Dorian
  • Vu, Trung V.

Abstract

This paper explores the effect of state history, measured from 3500 BCE to 2000 CE, on control of corruption. Using cross-country data, we find that the relationship between the capacity to control corruption and accumulated statehood experience follows a hump-shaped (inverted-U) pattern. This result is robust to using alternative measures of state history or corruption, controlling for other measures of early development and contemporary determinants of corruption, and removing outliers.

Suggested Citation

  • Owen, P. Dorian & Vu, Trung V., 2022. "State history and corruption," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 218(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolet:v:218:y:2022:i:c:s0165176522002798
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econlet.2022.110774
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Karl Z. Meyer & John M. Luiz & Johannes W. Fedderke, 2024. "Rules of the Game and Credibility of Implementation in the Control of Corruption," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 194(1), pages 145-163, September.
    2. Seabrook Arthur Mveng & Atangana Ondoa Henri, 2024. "State History and the Size of the Informal Economy: Does Control of Corruption Matter?," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 15(4), pages 17213-17231, December.
    3. M. Scott King & Claudia Williamson Kramer, 2025. "State antiquity and economic progress: cause or consequence?," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 203(1), pages 77-103, April.
    4. Trung V. Vu, 2023. "State history and political instability: The disadvantage of early state development," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 76(3), pages 351-379, August.
    5. Nguyen, Canh Phuc & Doytch, Nadia & Nguyen, Binh Quang & Tran, Duyen Thuy Le, 2025. "Do environmental taxes corrupt governments?," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 49(2).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • D73 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Bureaucracy; Administrative Processes in Public Organizations; Corruption
    • O11 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • K42 - Law and Economics - - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior - - - Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law
    • N00 - Economic History - - General - - - General
    • O57 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Comparative Studies of Countries

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