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Institutions and growth accelerations

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This paper estimates the effect of institutions on economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa over the period 1995-2007. We follow Henderson, Storeygard, and Weil (American Economic Review 102(2): 994-1028, 2012) in combining Penn World Tables GDP data with satellite-based data on nightlights in order to arrive at a more accurate measure of economic growth. We find that countries with good institutions grew faster than countries with poor institutions. Using external instruments, 2SLS regressions point to a causal impact. Our findings are consistent with the view that institutions are a root cause of economic development.

Suggested Citation

  • Andersen, Thomas Barnebeck & Jensen, Peter Sandholt, 2013. "Institutions and growth accelerations," Discussion Papers on Economics 7/2013, University of Southern Denmark, Department of Economics.
  • Handle: RePEc:hhs:sdueko:2013_007
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    File URL: https://www.sdu.dk/-/media/files/om_sdu/institutter/ivoe/disc_papers/disc_2013/dpbe7_2013.pdf
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    1. Nathan Nunn, 2008. "The Long-term Effects of Africa's Slave Trades," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 123(1), pages 139-176.
    2. Daron Acemoglu & Simon Johnson & James A. Robinson, 2001. "The Colonial Origins of Comparative Development: An Empirical Investigation," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 91(5), pages 1369-1401, December.
    3. Dani Rodrik & Arvind Subramanian & Francesco Trebbi, 2004. "Institutions Rule: The Primacy of Institutions Over Geography and Integration in Economic Development," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 9(2), pages 131-165, June.
    4. J. Vernon Henderson & Adam Storeygard & David N. Weil, 2012. "Measuring Economic Growth from Outer Space," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 102(2), pages 994-1028, April.
    5. Jeffrey D. Sachs, 2003. "Institutions Don't Rule: Direct Effects of Geography on Per Capita Income," NBER Working Papers 9490, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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    1. Çetin, Ahmet Burak, 2019. "The Effect of Economic and Political Institutions on Economic Growth: The Case of Developed Countries and Emerging Market Economies," Bulletin of Economic Theory and Analysis, BETA Journals, vol. 4(2), pages 1-31, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Institutions; economic growth; 2SLS; Africa;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O11 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • O43 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Institutions and Growth
    • O47 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Empirical Studies of Economic Growth; Aggregate Productivity; Cross-Country Output Convergence

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