Venezuela: Autocratic Consolidation and Splintered Economic Liberalization

Economic liberalization and poverty reduction

Crisis in Venezuela: A Politico Economic Understanding

More than five years down the line Venezuela had been slipping into an economic cri-sis. An economy wholly dependent on the sale of oil and no diversification of economic production is sure to face such a crisis. The fluctuation in oil prices is sure to hurt the market and the economy. To make matters worse, Venezuela now faces a political crisis with two individuals claiming themselves to be P...

Trade Liberalization, Privatization and Economic Growth

International Financial Liberalization and Economic Growth

This paper pulls together existing theory and evidence to assess whether international financial liberalization, by improving the functioning of domestic financial markets and banks, accelerates economic growth. The analysis suggests that the answer is “yes.” First, liberalizing restrictions on international portfolio flows tends to enhance stock market liquidity. In turn, enhanced stock market...

Autocratic Legislatures and Expropriation Risk

An important question for international investors concerns the relationship between political institutions and property rights. Yet a debate remains over whether authoritarian institutions promote favorable investment climates. Using data on oil nationalization in a sample of autocracies, this study finds that legislatures are correlated with lower expropriation risk in non-personalist dictator...