Political Competition, Policy Making, and the Quality of Public Policies in Costa Rica

This paper uses a case study of Costa Rica to identify the reasons why democracy is conducive for development. By the mid-twentieth century, Costa Rica had begun to depart from the all-too-common mixture of political instability and economic stagna...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Lehoucq, Fabrice
Format: Working Paper
Language:English
en_US
Published: World Bank, Washington, DC 2017
Subjects:
GDP
TAX
WAR
Online Access:http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/312871468247845252/Political-competition-policy-making-and-the-quality-of-public-policies-in-Costa-Rica
http://hdl.handle.net/10986/28007
id okr-10986-28007
recordtype oai_dc
repository_type Digital Repository
institution_category Foreign Institution
institution Digital Repositories
building World Bank Open Knowledge Repository
collection World Bank
language English
en_US
topic ACCOUNTABILITY
ADJUDICATION
ADULT POPULATION
AGRICULTURE
ALLEGIANCE
ARMED CONFLICT
AUDITOR
AUDITS
BALANCE SHEET
BANKS
BONDS
CABINET
CANDIDATES
CAPITAL INFLOWS
CENTRAL BANK
CENTRALIZATION
CHRONIC INFLATION
CITIZEN
CITIZENS
CIVIL CONFLICT
CIVIL WAR
CLIMATE CHANGE
COLLAPSE
COLONIALISM
COMMERCIAL BANKS
COMMITTEE HEARINGS
COMMON MARKET
COMPETITIVENESS
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
CONSTITUENT
CONSUMERS
DEBT
DEBT CRISIS
DEMOCRACIES
DEMOCRACY
DEMOCRATIC FORMS
DEMOCRATIC REGIMES
DEVELOPMENT POLICY
DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY
ECONOMETRIC MODELS
ECONOMIC CRISIS
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
ECONOMIC GROWTH
ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE
ECONOMIC POLICIES
ECONOMIC REFORM
ECONOMIC RESOURCES
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
ELECTION
ELECTIONS
ELECTORAL SYSTEM
ELECTORATE
ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS
EXCHANGE RATE
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
EXPORT SECTOR
EXPORTS
FINANCIAL REFORMS
FISCAL DEFICIT
FISCAL DEFICITS
FISCAL POLICIES
FLOOR PRICE
FORECASTS
FOREIGN EXCHANGE
FRANCHISE
FRAUD
FREE ELECTIONS
GANG
GDP
GDP PER CAPITA
GLOBAL STANDARDS
GLOBALIZATION
GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURES
GREENHOUSE GASES
GROWTH RATE
GROWTH RATES
HEALTH CARE
HEALTH CARE SERVICES
HOSPITAL
HUMAN CAPITAL
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
INCOME
INCOMES
INDEPENDENT JUDICIARY
INDIGENOUS POPULATIONS
INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS
INDUSTRIALIZATION
INFANT
INFANT MORTALITY
INFANT MORTALITY RATES
INFLATION RATES
INITIATIVE
INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISMS
INSTITUTIONAL STABILITY
INSURANCE
INSURANCE POLICIES
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
INTERNATIONAL TRADE
INVESTMENT IN EDUCATION
JUDICIAL REFORM
JUSTICE
LAWS
LEADERSHIP
LEGAL STATUS
LEGISLATIVE POWERS
LEGISLATIVE PROCESS
LEGISLATORS
LIBERALIZATION
LIFE EXPECTANCY
LIVE BIRTHS
LOBBYING
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
MACROECONOMIC CONDITIONS
MACROECONOMIC POLICY
MACROECONOMIC STABILITY
MANDATES
MEDIA
MEDIA ATTENTION
MEDICAL CARE
MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRY
MINISTER
MINISTERS
MINORITY
MIXED ECONOMIES
MONETARY POLICY
MONEY SUPPLY
MONOPOLY
MORTALITY DECLINE
NATIONAL AUTHORITIES
NATIONAL BANK
NATIONAL BUDGET
NATIONAL CURRENCY
NATIONAL POLICY
NATIONAL POLITICS
NATURAL RESOURCES
OLD AGE
OLIGARCHY
OPEN ECONOMY
PENSION SYSTEM
PENSIONS
PER CAPITA INCOMES
POLICE
POLICES
POLICY FRAMEWORK
POLICY GOALS
POLICY IMPLICATIONS
POLICY MAKERS
POLICY MAKING
POLICY STUDIES
POLICY-MAKING PROCESS
POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS
POLITICAL CHANGE
POLITICAL DEMOCRACY
POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT
POLITICAL ECONOMY
POLITICAL INSTABILITY
POLITICAL PARTIES
POLITICAL PARTY
POLITICAL STABILITY
POLITICAL SYSTEM
POLITICAL SYSTEMS
POLITICIANS
PRACTITIONERS
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS
PRIVATE CAPITAL
PRIVATIZATION
PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION
PUBLIC AFFAIRS
PUBLIC AUTHORITIES
PUBLIC DEBT
PUBLIC FINANCE
PUBLIC HEALTH
PUBLIC INTEREST
PUBLIC OFFICIALS
PUBLIC OPINION
PUBLIC PENSION
PUBLIC POLICIES
PUBLIC POLICY
PUBLIC SERVICES
REGIME CHANGES
REPRESENTATIVES
REPUTATION
RULE OF LAW
RURAL AREAS
SANITATION
SCANDALS
SMALL ECONOMIES
SMALL ECONOMY
SOCIAL CONDITIONS
SOCIAL COSTS
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS
SOCIAL MOVEMENTS
SOCIAL POLICY
SOCIAL PROBLEMS
SOCIAL PROGRESS
SOCIAL SECURITY
SOCIAL WELFARE
STATE POLICIES
STATE UNIVERSITY
STOCK EXCHANGE
SUFFRAGE
TAX
TAX CREDITS
TECHNICAL CAPACITIES
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
TELEPHONE SERVICE
TRADE BARRIERS
TRADE LIBERALIZATION
TRANSPARENCY
TRANSPORTATION
TREASURY
TURNOVER
VICTIMS
VIOLENCE
VOTER TURNOUT
VOTERS
WAR
WEALTH
WORLD POPULATION
spellingShingle ACCOUNTABILITY
ADJUDICATION
ADULT POPULATION
AGRICULTURE
ALLEGIANCE
ARMED CONFLICT
AUDITOR
AUDITS
BALANCE SHEET
BANKS
BONDS
CABINET
CANDIDATES
CAPITAL INFLOWS
CENTRAL BANK
CENTRALIZATION
CHRONIC INFLATION
CITIZEN
CITIZENS
CIVIL CONFLICT
CIVIL WAR
CLIMATE CHANGE
COLLAPSE
COLONIALISM
COMMERCIAL BANKS
COMMITTEE HEARINGS
COMMON MARKET
COMPETITIVENESS
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
CONSTITUENT
CONSUMERS
DEBT
DEBT CRISIS
DEMOCRACIES
DEMOCRACY
DEMOCRATIC FORMS
DEMOCRATIC REGIMES
DEVELOPMENT POLICY
DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY
ECONOMETRIC MODELS
ECONOMIC CRISIS
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
ECONOMIC GROWTH
ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE
ECONOMIC POLICIES
ECONOMIC REFORM
ECONOMIC RESOURCES
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
ELECTION
ELECTIONS
ELECTORAL SYSTEM
ELECTORATE
ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS
EXCHANGE RATE
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
EXPORT SECTOR
EXPORTS
FINANCIAL REFORMS
FISCAL DEFICIT
FISCAL DEFICITS
FISCAL POLICIES
FLOOR PRICE
FORECASTS
FOREIGN EXCHANGE
FRANCHISE
FRAUD
FREE ELECTIONS
GANG
GDP
GDP PER CAPITA
GLOBAL STANDARDS
GLOBALIZATION
GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURES
GREENHOUSE GASES
GROWTH RATE
GROWTH RATES
HEALTH CARE
HEALTH CARE SERVICES
HOSPITAL
HUMAN CAPITAL
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
INCOME
INCOMES
INDEPENDENT JUDICIARY
INDIGENOUS POPULATIONS
INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS
INDUSTRIALIZATION
INFANT
INFANT MORTALITY
INFANT MORTALITY RATES
INFLATION RATES
INITIATIVE
INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISMS
INSTITUTIONAL STABILITY
INSURANCE
INSURANCE POLICIES
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
INTERNATIONAL TRADE
INVESTMENT IN EDUCATION
JUDICIAL REFORM
JUSTICE
LAWS
LEADERSHIP
LEGAL STATUS
LEGISLATIVE POWERS
LEGISLATIVE PROCESS
LEGISLATORS
LIBERALIZATION
LIFE EXPECTANCY
LIVE BIRTHS
LOBBYING
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
MACROECONOMIC CONDITIONS
MACROECONOMIC POLICY
MACROECONOMIC STABILITY
MANDATES
MEDIA
MEDIA ATTENTION
MEDICAL CARE
MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRY
MINISTER
MINISTERS
MINORITY
MIXED ECONOMIES
MONETARY POLICY
MONEY SUPPLY
MONOPOLY
MORTALITY DECLINE
NATIONAL AUTHORITIES
NATIONAL BANK
NATIONAL BUDGET
NATIONAL CURRENCY
NATIONAL POLICY
NATIONAL POLITICS
NATURAL RESOURCES
OLD AGE
OLIGARCHY
OPEN ECONOMY
PENSION SYSTEM
PENSIONS
PER CAPITA INCOMES
POLICE
POLICES
POLICY FRAMEWORK
POLICY GOALS
POLICY IMPLICATIONS
POLICY MAKERS
POLICY MAKING
POLICY STUDIES
POLICY-MAKING PROCESS
POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS
POLITICAL CHANGE
POLITICAL DEMOCRACY
POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT
POLITICAL ECONOMY
POLITICAL INSTABILITY
POLITICAL PARTIES
POLITICAL PARTY
POLITICAL STABILITY
POLITICAL SYSTEM
POLITICAL SYSTEMS
POLITICIANS
PRACTITIONERS
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS
PRIVATE CAPITAL
PRIVATIZATION
PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION
PUBLIC AFFAIRS
PUBLIC AUTHORITIES
PUBLIC DEBT
PUBLIC FINANCE
PUBLIC HEALTH
PUBLIC INTEREST
PUBLIC OFFICIALS
PUBLIC OPINION
PUBLIC PENSION
PUBLIC POLICIES
PUBLIC POLICY
PUBLIC SERVICES
REGIME CHANGES
REPRESENTATIVES
REPUTATION
RULE OF LAW
RURAL AREAS
SANITATION
SCANDALS
SMALL ECONOMIES
SMALL ECONOMY
SOCIAL CONDITIONS
SOCIAL COSTS
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS
SOCIAL MOVEMENTS
SOCIAL POLICY
SOCIAL PROBLEMS
SOCIAL PROGRESS
SOCIAL SECURITY
SOCIAL WELFARE
STATE POLICIES
STATE UNIVERSITY
STOCK EXCHANGE
SUFFRAGE
TAX
TAX CREDITS
TECHNICAL CAPACITIES
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
TELEPHONE SERVICE
TRADE BARRIERS
TRADE LIBERALIZATION
TRANSPARENCY
TRANSPORTATION
TREASURY
TURNOVER
VICTIMS
VIOLENCE
VOTER TURNOUT
VOTERS
WAR
WEALTH
WORLD POPULATION
Lehoucq, Fabrice
Political Competition, Policy Making, and the Quality of Public Policies in Costa Rica
geographic_facet Latin America & Caribbean
Costa Rica
relation Commission on Growth and Development Working Paper;No. 7
description This paper uses a case study of Costa Rica to identify the reasons why democracy is conducive for development. By the mid-twentieth century, Costa Rica had begun to depart from the all-too-common mixture of political instability and economic stagnation characteristic of much of the developing world. This paper claims that this country has benefited from better-than-average public policies, a conclusion based upon an original assessment of policy effectiveness and a major comparative ranking of state policies. It largely rejects the interpretation that uncommon development performance stems from institutions created during the colonial period and instead emphasizes how unending political stalemates gradually made the struggle for power more democratic. A central conclusion of this paper is that political competition-as well as steady economic growth rates and development, more generally-interact with and reinforce each other so that the exercise of power foments rather than retards economic growth.
format Working Paper
author Lehoucq, Fabrice
author_facet Lehoucq, Fabrice
author_sort Lehoucq, Fabrice
title Political Competition, Policy Making, and the Quality of Public Policies in Costa Rica
title_short Political Competition, Policy Making, and the Quality of Public Policies in Costa Rica
title_full Political Competition, Policy Making, and the Quality of Public Policies in Costa Rica
title_fullStr Political Competition, Policy Making, and the Quality of Public Policies in Costa Rica
title_full_unstemmed Political Competition, Policy Making, and the Quality of Public Policies in Costa Rica
title_sort political competition, policy making, and the quality of public policies in costa rica
publisher World Bank, Washington, DC
publishDate 2017
url http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/312871468247845252/Political-competition-policy-making-and-the-quality-of-public-policies-in-Costa-Rica
http://hdl.handle.net/10986/28007
_version_ 1764465950260723712
spelling okr-10986-280072021-04-23T14:04:46Z Political Competition, Policy Making, and the Quality of Public Policies in Costa Rica Lehoucq, Fabrice ACCOUNTABILITY ADJUDICATION ADULT POPULATION AGRICULTURE ALLEGIANCE ARMED CONFLICT AUDITOR AUDITS BALANCE SHEET BANKS BONDS CABINET CANDIDATES CAPITAL INFLOWS CENTRAL BANK CENTRALIZATION CHRONIC INFLATION CITIZEN CITIZENS CIVIL CONFLICT CIVIL WAR CLIMATE CHANGE COLLAPSE COLONIALISM COMMERCIAL BANKS COMMITTEE HEARINGS COMMON MARKET COMPETITIVENESS CONFLICTS OF INTEREST CONSTITUENT CONSUMERS DEBT DEBT CRISIS DEMOCRACIES DEMOCRACY DEMOCRATIC FORMS DEMOCRATIC REGIMES DEVELOPMENT POLICY DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY ECONOMETRIC MODELS ECONOMIC CRISIS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ECONOMIC GROWTH ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE ECONOMIC POLICIES ECONOMIC REFORM ECONOMIC RESOURCES EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT ELECTION ELECTIONS ELECTORAL SYSTEM ELECTORATE ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS EXCHANGE RATE EXECUTIVE BRANCH EXPORT SECTOR EXPORTS FINANCIAL REFORMS FISCAL DEFICIT FISCAL DEFICITS FISCAL POLICIES FLOOR PRICE FORECASTS FOREIGN EXCHANGE FRANCHISE FRAUD FREE ELECTIONS GANG GDP GDP PER CAPITA GLOBAL STANDARDS GLOBALIZATION GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURES GREENHOUSE GASES GROWTH RATE GROWTH RATES HEALTH CARE HEALTH CARE SERVICES HOSPITAL HUMAN CAPITAL HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INCOME INCOMES INDEPENDENT JUDICIARY INDIGENOUS POPULATIONS INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS INDUSTRIALIZATION INFANT INFANT MORTALITY INFANT MORTALITY RATES INFLATION RATES INITIATIVE INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISMS INSTITUTIONAL STABILITY INSURANCE INSURANCE POLICIES INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT INTERNATIONAL TRADE INVESTMENT IN EDUCATION JUDICIAL REFORM JUSTICE LAWS LEADERSHIP LEGAL STATUS LEGISLATIVE POWERS LEGISLATIVE PROCESS LEGISLATORS LIBERALIZATION LIFE EXPECTANCY LIVE BIRTHS LOBBYING LOCAL GOVERNMENTS MACROECONOMIC CONDITIONS MACROECONOMIC POLICY MACROECONOMIC STABILITY MANDATES MEDIA MEDIA ATTENTION MEDICAL CARE MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRY MINISTER MINISTERS MINORITY MIXED ECONOMIES MONETARY POLICY MONEY SUPPLY MONOPOLY MORTALITY DECLINE NATIONAL AUTHORITIES NATIONAL BANK NATIONAL BUDGET NATIONAL CURRENCY NATIONAL POLICY NATIONAL POLITICS NATURAL RESOURCES OLD AGE OLIGARCHY OPEN ECONOMY PENSION SYSTEM PENSIONS PER CAPITA INCOMES POLICE POLICES POLICY FRAMEWORK POLICY GOALS POLICY IMPLICATIONS POLICY MAKERS POLICY MAKING POLICY STUDIES POLICY-MAKING PROCESS POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS POLITICAL CHANGE POLITICAL DEMOCRACY POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT POLITICAL ECONOMY POLITICAL INSTABILITY POLITICAL PARTIES POLITICAL PARTY POLITICAL STABILITY POLITICAL SYSTEM POLITICAL SYSTEMS POLITICIANS PRACTITIONERS PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS PRIVATE CAPITAL PRIVATIZATION PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION PUBLIC AFFAIRS PUBLIC AUTHORITIES PUBLIC DEBT PUBLIC FINANCE PUBLIC HEALTH PUBLIC INTEREST PUBLIC OFFICIALS PUBLIC OPINION PUBLIC PENSION PUBLIC POLICIES PUBLIC POLICY PUBLIC SERVICES REGIME CHANGES REPRESENTATIVES REPUTATION RULE OF LAW RURAL AREAS SANITATION SCANDALS SMALL ECONOMIES SMALL ECONOMY SOCIAL CONDITIONS SOCIAL COSTS SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS SOCIAL MOVEMENTS SOCIAL POLICY SOCIAL PROBLEMS SOCIAL PROGRESS SOCIAL SECURITY SOCIAL WELFARE STATE POLICIES STATE UNIVERSITY STOCK EXCHANGE SUFFRAGE TAX TAX CREDITS TECHNICAL CAPACITIES TELECOMMUNICATIONS TELEPHONE SERVICE TRADE BARRIERS TRADE LIBERALIZATION TRANSPARENCY TRANSPORTATION TREASURY TURNOVER VICTIMS VIOLENCE VOTER TURNOUT VOTERS WAR WEALTH WORLD POPULATION This paper uses a case study of Costa Rica to identify the reasons why democracy is conducive for development. By the mid-twentieth century, Costa Rica had begun to depart from the all-too-common mixture of political instability and economic stagnation characteristic of much of the developing world. This paper claims that this country has benefited from better-than-average public policies, a conclusion based upon an original assessment of policy effectiveness and a major comparative ranking of state policies. It largely rejects the interpretation that uncommon development performance stems from institutions created during the colonial period and instead emphasizes how unending political stalemates gradually made the struggle for power more democratic. A central conclusion of this paper is that political competition-as well as steady economic growth rates and development, more generally-interact with and reinforce each other so that the exercise of power foments rather than retards economic growth. 2017-08-28T16:58:26Z 2017-08-28T16:58:26Z 2008 Working Paper http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/312871468247845252/Political-competition-policy-making-and-the-quality-of-public-policies-in-Costa-Rica http://hdl.handle.net/10986/28007 English en_US Commission on Growth and Development Working Paper;No. 7 CC BY 3.0 IGO http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo World Bank World Bank, Washington, DC Publications & Research :: Working Paper Publications & Research Latin America & Caribbean Costa Rica