The Economic Consequences of Legal Origins
Journal of Economic Literature
vol. 46,
no. 2, June 2008
(pp. 285-332)
Abstract
In the last decade, economists have produced a considerable body of research suggesting that the historical origin of a country's laws is highly correlated with a broad range of its legal rules and regulations, as well as with economic outcomes. We summarize this evidence and attempt a unified interpretation. We also address several objections to the empirical claim that legal origins matter. Finally, we assess the implications of this research for economic reform.Citation
La Porta, Rafael, Florencio Lopez-de-Silanes, and Andrei Shleifer. 2008. "The Economic Consequences of Legal Origins." Journal of Economic Literature, 46 (2): 285-332. DOI: 10.1257/jel.46.2.285JEL Classification
- K10 Basic Areas of Law: General (Constitutional Law)
- N40 Economic History: Government, War, Law, and Regulation: General, International, or Comparative