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Political instability and economic growth: an empirical evidence from the Baltic states

Author

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  • Ladislava Grochová

    (Ústav ekonomie, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika)

  • Luděk Kouba

    (Ústav ekonomie, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika)

Abstract

For more than last 20 decades, new political economics has been dealing with theories of economic growth (for example influential contributions by Mancur Olson, Dani Rodrik). However, less attention has been paid to their empirical verification. The new political economics growth theory defines some factors that are necessary for economic growth among which political stability. Our aim is to test the theory focused on political stability empirically in order to enrich the studies with recent European results. The paper uses a single-equation model to reject a hypothesis that political stability is a necessary condition for economic growth finding a relationship between economic growth and political instability. A demonstration that political stability is not a crucial factor for economic development in general then represents the main goal of the contribution. There are distinguished two types of political instability - elite and non-elite - in topical literature. While non-elite political instability concerns about violent coups, riots or civil wars, elite political instability is represented with "soft changes" such as government breakdowns, fragile majority or minority governments. A number of government changes is used as a proxy of elite political instability. The disproof of the hypothesis is demonstrated on data from the Baltic states where number of government changes takes place and still fast economic growth could be seen within last two decades. Since it is shown that political instability has almost no impact on economic growth, we consider the hypothesis regarding a necessity of political stability for economic development to be only a specific non-generalizable case.

Suggested Citation

  • Ladislava Grochová & Luděk Kouba, 2011. "Political instability and economic growth: an empirical evidence from the Baltic states," Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, Mendel University Press, vol. 59(2), pages 81-88.
    • Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020081
    DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020081
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    4. Michal Mádr & Luděk Kouba, 2015. "Does the Political Environment Affect Inflows of Foreign Direct Investment? Evidence from Emerging Markets," Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, Mendel University Press, vol. 63(6), pages 2017-2026.
    5. Hwa-Taek Lee & Gawon Yoon, 2013. "Does purchasing power parity hold sometimes? Regime switching in real exchange rates," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(16), pages 2279-2294, June.
    6. Ladislava Grochova & Ludek Kouba, 2010. "Elite Political Instability and Economic Growth: An Empirical Evidence from the Baltic States," MENDELU Working Papers in Business and Economics 2010-01, Mendel University in Brno, Faculty of Business and Economics.
    7. Vladimír Žítek & Viktorie Klímová, 2013. "Position and development potential of north-eastern Baltic Sea regions," Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, Mendel University Press, vol. 61(4), pages 1203-1211.

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