INSTITUTIONS, TRANSACTION COSTS AND ECONOMIC GROWTH

This essay develops a theoretical framework which explores the historical obstacles to economic growth. These obstacles are examined in the context of the political/economic institutional framework of economies in history and consequent transaction costs that determine economic performance and growth. The essay concludes with specific suggestions for the study of economic growth.     

制度

首先,作者给出了制度的定义并指出经济史及经济发展的中心议题是解释能够创造一种可以引发持续的生产率提高的经济环境的政治与经济制度的演进。经由简明论述一种经济发展的阶段理论,作者强调从原始交易形式向高级交易形式的演进并非必然发生。经由比较多种未能成功演化的原始交易体系与最终导致了西方世界兴起的近古欧洲的长程贸易,作者指出这些稳定与变迁的形成对比的故事触及到解释人类经济状况的改变这一难题的核心。最后,作者强调经济表现与经济变革关键取决于基本制度框架以及缘于一种制度框架的报酬递增特质的路径依赖。