| This dissertation argues that national economic growth is highly dependent upon both the policies of domestic political regimes as well as prevailing socio-political conditions. Economic, political and cultural data is assembled for 114 countries throughout the post-World War II era in order to statistically test the causal effects of political and cultural factors on economic growth. National culture, in particular, is found to exert a significant impact on both the feasible range and economic efficiency of domestic policy options. Up to now, most socio-political explanations for economic growth have posited single patterns of successful economic development. These explanations, however, typically apply well only to limited geographical regions or time periods. By identifying and measuring the causal impact of socio-political conditions on regime policy as well as economic growth, alternative growth paths may be distinguished based on economically successful patterns of policy and socio-political condition.;Measuring the economic effects of these variables has become considerably more tractable through two recent academic developments. First, the new institutional economics has been instrumental in exploring the economic effects of both formal political institutions (e.g., constitutions, laws, regime policies) and informal cultural institutions (e.g., cultural habits, attitudes and norms). Second, the primary dimensions of national culture have been identified and measured, enabling both modeling and testing of cultural determinants in economic development. The explanatory strengths and scope of this socio-political model of economic growth are then examined along with implications for future economic development policy. |
