Phd Thesis ROBERT BUTLER

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Phd Thesis ROBERT BUTLER PhD Thesis ROBERT BUTLER STATE DEVELOPMENT, INSTITUTIONAL FLEXIBILITY AND LONG-RUN ECONOMIC GROWTH: A CROSS-COUNTRY EMPIRICAL EXAMINATION Submitted to the University of Hertfordshire in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of PhD JULY 2013 Supervisors: Professor Geoffrey Hodgson, Dr Christopher Tofallis & Dr Francesca Gagliardi Word Count: 62,658 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Acknowledgements 7 Abstract 10 List of Tables 11 List of Figures 12 CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION TO THE THESIS 13 1.1 Introduction 13 1.2 Rationale For Research 16 1.3 Research Questions 18 1.4 Summary of Structure 21 1.5 Conclusion 24 CHAPTER 2 – STATE-BUILDING & MODERNISATION 25 2.1 Introduction 25 2.2 Institutions & States 26 2.2.1 What are Institutions? 26 2.2.2 Defining the State 29 2.2.3 State Capacity 32 2.3 The Evolution of the State 35 2.3.1. The Autocratic State 38 2.3.1.1 Fragile Autocratic State 40 2.3.1.2 Basic Autocratic State 41 2.3.1.3 Mature Autocratic State 42 2.3.2 The Democratic State 44 2.3.2.1 Shared Belief System & Universal Inclusion 45 2.3.2.2 Spread of Citizen Rights, Extension of Franchise & Clerical Decline 47 2.3.2.3. Incentive Systems Preventing Rent-Seeking & Impersonal Exchange 50 2.3.3 The Process of Modernisation in Democratic States 52 2.4 Conceptual Frameworks of State Development 56 2.4.1 Theoretical Framework of the Autocratic State 56 2 2.4.2 Black’s (1996) Model of Comparative State Development 62 2.4.2.1 The Challenge of Modernity – Fragile to Basic Autocratic State 65 2.4.2.2 Consolidation of Modern Leadership – Basic to Mature Autocratic State 65 2.4.2.3 Economic and Social Transformation – Mature Autocratic State to Democratic State 66 2.4.2.4 Integration of Society – Modernisation of Democratic State 66 2.4.3 Deficiencies in Black’s Model of Comparative State Development 67 2.5 Conclusion 69 CHAPTER 3 – A REHABILITAION OF MANCUR OLSON 3.1 Introduction 70 3.2 The Ideas of Mancur Olson 72 3.2.1 The Logic of Collective Action 72 3.2.1.1 Second-order Implications 75 3.2.1.2 Third-order Implications 78 3.2.2 The Rise and Decline of Nations 80 3.2.2.1 Great Britain and the Disease of Institutional Sclerosis 80 3.2.2.2 Eurosclerosis – The Disease Spreads 84 3.2.3 Rational Ignorance 88 3.2.4. Opponent of the “Rise and Decline” Hypothesis – Criticism of Mancur Olson 89 3.3 Modelling Institutional Flexibility 93 3.3.1 Institutional Flexibility 93 3.3.2 Fusing Black, Choi, North, Hodgson & Olson 95 3.4 Conclusion 99 CHAPTER 4 – DEMOCRACY AND ECOMOMIC GROWTH 101 4.1 Introduction 101 4.2 The Relationship Between Democracy & Economic Growth 104 4.3 Measurements of Democracy 109 3 4.3.1 Freedom House Gastil Index 109 4.3.2 Polity IV 110 4.4 Previous Studies on Democracy & Economic Growth 112 4.4.1 Compatibility Hypothesis – Democracy is Growth-Promoting 113 4.4.2 Conflict Hypothesis – Democracy is Growth-Retarding 118 4.4.3 Democracy has No Impact on Economic Growth 121 4.5 Discussion of Empirical Results 123 4.5.1 Developed and Developing Countries 123 4.5.2 Measurement of Democracy 124 4.5.3 Length of Time Considered 125 4.6 Conclusion 128 CHAPTER 5 – SOURCES OF DATA AND EMPIRICAL MODELS 130 5.1 Introduction 130 5.2. Construction of Variables 133 5.2.1 Real GDP per Capita 133 5.2.2 Nominal National Output 134 5.2.3 Nominal General Government Expenditure & Revenue 135 5.2.4 Volume of Exports and Imports 136 5.2.5 Educational Enrolment Numbers at Primary School Level 137 5.2.6 Freight Traffic on Railway Lines 138 5.2.7 Democracy Index 138 5.2.8 Independence, Revolutions & Occupations 141 5.2.9 Polity IV 144 5.2.9.1 Regime Durability 145 5.2.9.2 Political Competition 146 5.2.10 Institutional Flexibility 147 5.2.11 Global Era Dummies 150 5.2.12 Relative Productivity – Diffusion Hypothesis 150 5.3 Empirical Models 152 5.3.1. Logistic Curve 152 5.3.2. Three Measures of Institutional Flexibility 153 5.3.2.1 FLX Years 154 5.3.2.2 DEMFLX Years 155 4 5.3.2.3 LOGCUR 155 5.5.3 Panel Regression Models 156 5.3.3.1 Fixed Effects Model 156 5.3.3.2 Random Effects Model 157 5.3.3.3 Variance Inflation Factors 158 5.3.3.4 Breusch-Pagan Lagrangian Multiplier Test 158 5.3.3.5 Hausman Test 159 5.4 Newly Created Datasets 160 5.5 Conclusion 167 CHAPTER 6 – EMPIRICAL RESULTS 169 6.1 Introduction 169 6.2 The Peak of Institutional Flexibility 172 6.2.1 Comparing FLX, DEMFLX & LOGCUR 172 6.3 Research Statements & Panel Regression Results 177 6.3.1 Empirical Results – FLX Years of Institutional Flexibility 179 6.3.2 Empirical Results – DEMFLX Years of Institutional Flexibility 183 6.3.3 Empirical Results – LOGCUR Institutional Flexibility 188 6.4 Discussion of Findings 191 6.4.1 Percentage of the Population above the Voting Age with Voting Rights 193 6.4.2 Dummy Variable for the Period 1919 to 1938 & 1945 to 1973 194 6.4.3 Regime Durability 194 6.4.4 Institutional Flexibility 195 6.4.5 Insignificant Independent Variables 196 6.5 Conclusion 197 CHAPTER 7 – CONCLUSION 199 7.1 Introduction 199 7.2 Main Contributions 200 7.3 Findings and Further Research 203 7.4 Conclusion 205 REFERENCES 206 5 APPENDICES 221 Appendix 3.1 Changes to Voting Rights in Europe since 1820 – 1975 221 Appendix 5.1 Disruption due to National Independence (DISNAT) 233 Appendix 5.2 Disruption due to Occupation (DISOCC) 234 Appendix 5.3 Disruption due to Revolution or Civil War (DISREV) 235 Appendix 5.4 Country-specific Conditions 236 Appendix 5.5 Rate of GDP per Capita Growth 251 Appendix 5.6 General Government Revenue as % of National Output 259 Appendix 5.7 Exports %of National Output 267 Appendix 5.8 Freight Traffic – Metric Tonnes per Person 273 Appendix 5.9 Democracy Index 283 Appendix 5.10 Diffusion Hypothesis – Relative Productivity 291 Appendix 5.11 Country Logistic Curves 299 Appendix 6.1 Hausman Test (FLX) 307 Appendix 6.2 Variance Inflation Factor Test (FLX) 307 Appendix 6.3 Breusch-Pagan Lagrangian Multiplier Test (FLX) 308 Appendix 6.4 Hausman Test (DEMFLX) 309 Appendix 6.5 Variance Inflation Factor Test (DEMFLX) 309 Appendix 6.6 Breusch-Pagan Lagrangian Multiplier Test (DEMFLX) 310 Appendix 6.7 Hausman Test (LOGCUR) 311 Appendix 6.8 Variance Inflation Factor Test (LOGCUR) 311 Appendix 6.9 Breusch-Pagan Lagrangian Multiplier Test (LOGCUR) 312 Appendix 6.10 Random Effects GLS Regression (FLX Years) 313 Appendix 6.10 Random Effects GLS Regression (DEMFLX Years) 314 Appendix 6.10 Random Effects GLS Regression (LOGCUR) 315 6 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This project commenced in late 2007 when I first began to think about completing a doctoral thesis. Since then many people have helped bring the work before you together. The main protagonist in this endeavour has been Professor Geoffrey Hodgson. Geoff has been a constant source of advice since taking me under his wing in 2008. His commitment to the project, especially through difficult times in 2009 and 2010, has been unwavering. I am extremely fortunate to have found a supervisor who not only helped facilitate this project, but who also took an interest in my cognitive development and has trained me in the wider discipline of economics. Geoff’s supervision has been ably supported by Dr Chris Tofallis and, more recently, Dr. Francesca Gagliardi. Chris has offered timely and detailed advice on this work, particularly the empirical work and has been very generous with his time from the outset. I am extremely grateful to him for the input he has made. Francesca has been very helpful in drafting this thesis and her comments have allowed me to develop areas of the work I had taken for granted. Again, I am very grateful for her support and advice. Annual GROE Research Workouts during the period of my supervision, held in Privas, France and organised by Geoff for the University of Hertfordshire Group for Research in Organisational Evolution, have offered me the chance to present and discuss my work in the presence of some exceptional academics, with a keen interest in this area. I would like to express my gratitude to Germana Bottone, Béatrice Boulu, John Davis, Denise Dollimore, Zohreh Emami, David Gindis, Pavel Lukska, Vinny Logan and Ariell Reshef for their comments and advice, particularly on the earlier phases of this work. 7 Completing this thesis has been made far easier thanks to the professional and financial support I received from University College Cork. I would like to express my thanks to Head of School Connell Fanning, School Manager Mary Maguire and the administration members in the School of Economics and University College Cork for the support I have received from the outset of this work. I am fortunate the School has such a successful new staff development programme. These sessions have moulded my work and for that, I would like to thank Daniel Blackshields, Jane Bourke, Lee- Ann Burke, Eleanor Doyle, Declan Jordan, Ella Kavanagh, Brendan McElroy, Eoin O’Leary, Bernadette Power, Edward Shinnick and Brian Turner for comments on drafts. A special word of thanks goes to Garrett Barden, Seamus Coffey, Hulya Dagdeviren, Justin Doran, John Eakins, Gerry Hughes, Shane Kilcommins, Klaus Nielsen, Geraldine Ryan, Meadhbh Sherman and Don Walshe, each of whom has been incredibly generous with their time and advice.
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