Alesina, Alberto, and Paola Giuliano. Forthcoming. “Culture and Institutions,” Journal of Economic Literature,

Culture and Institutions

Alberto Alesina, Paola Giuliano

NBER Working Paper No. 19750
Issued in December 2013
NBER Program(s):   POL

A growing body of empirical work measuring different types of cultural traits has shown that culture matters for a variety of economic outcomes. This paper focuses on one specific aspect of the relevance of culture: its relationship to institutions. We review work with a theoretical, empirical, and historical bent to assess the presence of a two-way causal effect between culture and institutions.