Taking inspiration from the work of Douglass North, much institutional research attempts a distinction between 'formal' and 'informal' institutions. North often associated 'formal institutions' with rules enforced through a legal system. It is suggested here that this lead should be followed and...

This article analyses the 1989-2005 economic growth in the transitional economies in Europe and Central Asia, and signals factors that help to explain the differences in outcome. An econometric analysis finds prominent indices of property rights, corruption, economic freedom, tax incidence and...