Judicial Checks and Balances
35 Pages Posted: 5 Jun 2003
There are 3 versions of this paper
Judicial Checks and Balances
Judicial Checks and Balances
Date Written: May 2003
Abstract
In the Anglo-American constitutional tradition, judicial checks and balances are often seen as crucial guarantees of freedom. Hayek (1960) distinguishes two ways in which the judiciary provides such checks and balances: judicial independence and constitutional review. We create a new data base of constitutional rules in 71 countries that reflect these provisions. We find strong support for the proposition that both judicial independence and constitutional review are associated with greater freedom. Consistent with theory, judicial independence accounts for some of the positive effect of common law legal origin on measures of economic freedom. The results point to significant benefits of the Anglo-American system of government for freedom.
JEL Classification: K4, O10, P16, P17
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation
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