Does Law Matter? An Introduction

DOES LAW MATTER? ON LAW AND ECONOMIC GROWTH, Michael Faure & Jan Smits, eds., Cambridge-Antwerp, 2011

Maastricht European Private Law Institute Working Paper No. 2011/35

23 Pages Posted: 29 Oct 2011 Last revised: 30 Oct 2011

See all articles by Jan M. Smits

Jan M. Smits

Maastricht University Faculty of Law

Michael G. Faure

University of Maastricht - Faculty of Law, Metro; Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) - Erasmus School of Law

Date Written: October 29, 2011

Abstract

This contribution addresses the importance of institutions for economic development and in particular the role of law for economic growth. It was written as the introduction to an edited volume that critically considers the so-called legal origins-thesis. This thesis claims that the economic performance of a country is largely the result of that country’s legal system and in particular of how this legal system has come about. Economic indicators would show that in particular common law countries are better suited to meet the interests of business than civil law countries. This volume takes stock of the debate by offering a mufti-disciplinary approach to the relationship between legal rules and economic growth. It contains a general part with theoretical, empirical, historical and economic analysis of the legal origins-claim, a part on differences among various jurisdictions (including China) and a part on specific fields of law (including discussion of corporate law, property law and environmental law).

Keywords: Legal origins, economic growth, comparative law, economic analysis, China

JEL Classification: D63, F10, K00, P51

Suggested Citation

Smits, Jan M. and Faure, Michael G., Does Law Matter? An Introduction (October 29, 2011). DOES LAW MATTER? ON LAW AND ECONOMIC GROWTH, Michael Faure & Jan Smits, eds., Cambridge-Antwerp, 2011, Maastricht European Private Law Institute Working Paper No. 2011/35, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1950335 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1950335

Jan M. Smits (Contact Author)

Maastricht University Faculty of Law ( email )

P.O. Box 616
Maastricht, NL-6200 MD
Netherlands

HOME PAGE: http://www.jansmits.eu

Michael G. Faure

University of Maastricht - Faculty of Law, Metro ( email )

PO Box 616
Maastricht, 6200 MD
Netherlands
+31 - 43 - 388 30 60 (Phone)
+31 - 43 - 325 90 91 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.michaelfaure.be

Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) - Erasmus School of Law ( email )

3000 DR Rotterdam
Netherlands

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