Prompt:
We have seen that political institutions matter in the process of development. Institutions
are understood as both formal and informal and they affect the degree and quality of
organizational structure, which in turn may affect the extent of economic performance and
growth.
With this in mind, how are institutions defined? What is their role? Which benefits or
consequences does the presence or lack of institutions present to developing nations? How
can institutions be used as an indicator of growth and development in developing nations?
Your work must be based EXCLUSIVELY (i.e., ONLY) on the following literature –
where the Textbook can be used as supporting material if you wish (i.e., Optional):
1. Bates, Robert H., John H. Coatsworth, and Jeffrey G. Williamson. 2007. “Lost
Decades: Postindependence Performance in Latin America and Africa.” The
Journal of Economic History 67 (04) (December).
2. Portes, A., and L. D. Smith. 2010. “Institutions and National Development in Latin
America: A Comparative Study”. SOCIO-ECONOMIC REVIEW. 8, no. 4: 585-
621.
3. Michalopoulos, Stelios, and Elias Papaioannou. 2014. “National Institutions and
Subnational Development in Africa”. The Quarterly Journal of Economics. 129, no.
1: 151-213.
Instructions:
i. Length: Write a 5 – 10 pages (approximately 1,600 – 3,200 words), double-spaced,
essay using EXCLUSIVELY (i.e., ONLY) the above-mentioned literature.
ii. Show proper use of the articles/textbook. Make sure you use the literature in a
meaningful way to support your claims by giving specific examples. Do not simply
write an answer based on what you remember from the lectures and your reading
iii. You must cite. You can use intext citations (e.g., Portes, p. 100). Do not use
endnotes.
iv. Spell-check and Proofread. These are two important steps in guaranteeing
typographic quality and the structural integrity of your work. Aside the electronic
spell-check function of your word processor, printing and proofreading your work
(with a red pen at hand) guarantees quality (syntax etc.).
v. Fonts and margins. Use Times New Roman font-size 12 with standard margins.
vi. Make sure to include: your full name, date of submission, and assignment title.
vii. File types allowed: Microsoft Word and PDF
