There is a broad consensus that state capacity is central to economic and institutional
development. But while the concept originated as a tool for macro-historical and …

This paper contributes to the literature on state capacity by developing a method that yields
an index of state capacity with far more comprehensive data coverage across time and …

How does social spending relate to economic growth and which countries have got this right
and wrong? Peter Lindert examines the experience of countries across the globe to reveal …

This paper highlights scholarly neglect of political legitimacy, the idea of a state's use of
power in ways acceptable to its citizens. We argue that political legitimacy affects a state's …

Why did enduring traditions of economic and political liberty arise in Western Europe? An
answer to this question must be sought at the constitutional level. Within the medieval …

The study examines the effects of governance quality and religiosity on tax evasion (TE) in
the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries. Further …

Successful constitutionalism is characterized by de jure Constitutional provisions de facto
binding political agents. A growing literature seeks to quantify cross-country variation in …

The standard political economy narrative of representative assemblies in Western Europe is
one of political bargaining and credible commitments. Monarchs sought to bargain with the …

Will a society's political agents provide good governance? An answer must be sought first
and foremost at the constitutional level. While Austrians have made important contributions …

This paper evaluates state capacity from the perspective of classical liberalism, especially
the relationship of state capacity to economic freedom. It argues that a revenue-maximizing …