Discussion Question

The form of government may matter for the level of prosperity of a nation, and for the sense of legitimacy that the government enjoys.  Does the level of civil liberties or political freedom in a country impact economic growth?  What is more important for economic growth, civil liberties or political freedom?  Does the interaction between civil liberties and political freedom have an impact on economic growth?

Data Set

Economic growth rates and political freedom and civil liberties ratings, 1972-1997, various countries

Source:  The World Bank (http://www.worldbank.org/poverty/data/index.htm) and Freedom House (http://www.freedomhouse.org/ratings)

Note:  Political freedom and civil liberties ratings range from 1 to 7, where a lower score indicates more political freedom or more civil liberties.

Advanced Questions

What effect does economic growth have on civil liberties and political freedom?  Which comes first, economic growth or political freedom and civil liberties?