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The Inverse Domino Effect: Are Economic Reforms Contagious?

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  • Martin Gassebner
  • Noel Gaston
  • Michael Lamla

Abstract

This paper examines whether a country’s economic reforms are affected by reforms adopted by other countries. A simple model of economic reforms is developed to motivate the econometric work. Unsurprisingly, the model predicts that reforms are more likely when factors of production are internationally mobile and reforms are pursued in other economies. More interesting is the finding that reforms are not driven by greater trade openness. Using the change in the Index of Economic Freedom as the measure of market-liberalising reforms, we examine two issues. First, we examine whether economic reforms are ‘habit-forming’, and secondly, we identify the most important channels through which reforms are transmitted from country to country. For a panel of 144 countries and the years 1995-2006, we find little evidence that reforms are habit- forming, if anything there is a status quo bias. However, we do find evidence of the importance of reforms in other countries. Consistent with our model, international trade is not a vehicle for the diffusion of economic reforms, rather the most important mechanism is geographical or cultural proximity.

Suggested Citation

  • Martin Gassebner & Noel Gaston & Michael Lamla, 2007. "The Inverse Domino Effect: Are Economic Reforms Contagious?," Monash Economics Working Papers 31-07, Monash University, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:mos:moswps:2007-31
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Economic reforms; economic freedom; resource flow models; spatial interdependence;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H71 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue
    • H77 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - Intergovernmental Relations; Federalism
    • P51 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Comparative Economic Systems - - - Comparative Analysis of Economic Systems
    • O57 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Comparative Studies of Countries

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