Elites and Institutional Persistence

James Robinson

No wp-2010-085, WIDER Working Paper Series from World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER)

Abstract: Particular sets of institutions, once they become established in a society, have a strong tendency to persist. In this paper I argue that understanding how elites form and reproduce is key to understanding the persistence of institutions over time. I illustrate this idea with a simple political economy theory of institutions and through examples from Liberia, the US, South Africa and Germany I show how elites influence institutions. To change institutions requires having an understanding of how reforms influence the preferences, capabilities and strategies of elites.

Keywords: Elite (Social sciences); Institutional economics; Political science; Economic power (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2010
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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