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Political instability and savings in less developed countries: Evidence from Sub‐Saharan Africa

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  • Kwabena Gyimah‐Brempong
  • Thomas Traynor

Abstract

A four‐equation model is used to investigate the effects of political instability (PI) on the savings rate in Sub‐Saharan Africa. Utilising a comprehensive measure of PI, we find that political instability has a deleterious effect on the savings rate both directly and indirectly through a reduction in investment and economic growth. The negative effects of PI on savings rate occurs contemporaneously as well as with a lag. We also find that economic growth has a stabilising effect on the political system and that not accounting for these effects through a simultaneous equations model results in biased coefficient estimates. These relationships are robust with respect to model specification. The implication of our results is that ‘economic factors’ alone cannot explain the development process in Less Developed Countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Kwabena Gyimah‐Brempong & Thomas Traynor, 1996. "Political instability and savings in less developed countries: Evidence from Sub‐Saharan Africa," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(5), pages 695-714.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:jdevst:v:32:y:1996:i:5:p:695-714
    DOI: 10.1080/00220389608422436
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ball, Nicole, 1984. "Measuring third world security expenditure: A research note," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 12(2), pages 157-164, February.
    2. Alesina, Alberto & Özler, Sule & Roubini, Nouriel & Swagel, Phillip, 1996. "Political Instability and Economic Growth," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 1(2), pages 189-211, June.
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    2. Paresh Narayan & Seema Narayan & Russell Smyth, 2007. "Does Democracy Facilitate Economic Growth Or Does Economic Growth Facilitate Democracy? An Empirical Study Of Sub-Saharan Africa," Monash Economics Working Papers 10-07, Monash University, Department of Economics.
    3. Büttner, Nicolas & Grimm, Michael & Soubeiga, Sidiki, 2022. "Political instability and households’ investment behavior: Evidence from Burkina Faso," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(2), pages 350-368.
    4. Robin Grier, 2007. "Losing Ground: Latin American Growth from 1955 to 1999," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 74(1), pages 177-203, July.
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    7. Narayan, Paresh Kumar & Narayan, Seema & Smyth, Russell, 2011. "Does democracy facilitate economic growth or does economic growth facilitate democracy? An empirical study of Sub-Saharan Africa," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 28(3), pages 900-910, May.
    8. Abidin Alhassan & Leon Li & Krishna Reddy & Geeta Duppati, 2021. "The relationship between political instability and financial inclusion: Evidence from Middle East and North Africa," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(1), pages 353-374, January.

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