Governance Matters: The role of governance in Asian economic development

David E. Bloom, David Steven & Mark Weston

Published: December 2004

In recent years there has been a surge of interest in governance: good governance increasingly is seen as a vital adjunct to successful development efforts. This paper attempts to explain what governance is and why it is important, and assess which forms of governance are likely to best support and promote economic development. Although economies with very different governance arrangements have performed strongly in recent decades, a focus on governance is likely to bring out some commonalities that may be helpful for 21st century policy-makers.