This course offers an introduction to the theoretical and empirical research in comparative political economy. An emphasis will be placed on the parallel process of political and economic development across countries and its consequences on current democratic political institutions such as: electoral rules, parliamentary versus presidential governments, legislatures, judicial systems, and bureaucratic agencies as exemplifed in central bank politics. We will study the differential impact of these political institutions on the type of policies they implement and the economic outcomes they produce. The main objective of the course will be to assess the robustness of the analyzed theories in light of their empirical support.

Course Syllabus