Financial Intermediation and Growth: Causality and Causes
Posted: 10 Oct 2000
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Financial Intermediation and Growth: Causality and Causes
Abstract
This paper evaluates (1) whether the exogenous component of financial intermediary development influences economic growth and (2) whether cross-country differences in legal and accounting systems (e.g., creditor rights, contract enforcement, and accounting standards) explain differences in the level of financial development. Using both traditional cross-section, instrumental variable procedures and recent dynamic panel techniques, we find that the exogenous component of financial intermediary development is positively associated with economic growth. Also, the data show that cross-country differences in legal and accounting systems help account for differences in financial development. Together, these findings suggest that legal and accounting reforms that strengthen creditor rights, contract enforcement, and accounting practices can boost development and accelerate economic growth.
Keywords: Financial development, economic growth, legal system
JEL Classification: O16, O40, G28
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