Law and Economic Strength - Explained
How the Legal System Affects Economic Strength?
Written by Jason Gordon
Updated at April 27th, 2022
- Marketing, Advertising, Sales & PR
- Accounting, Taxation, and Reporting
- Professionalism & Career Development
-
Law, Transactions, & Risk Management
Government, Legal System, Administrative Law, & Constitutional Law Legal Disputes - Civil & Criminal Law Agency Law HR, Employment, Labor, & Discrimination Business Entities, Corporate Governance & Ownership Business Transactions, Antitrust, & Securities Law Real Estate, Personal, & Intellectual Property Commercial Law: Contract, Payments, Security Interests, & Bankruptcy Consumer Protection Insurance & Risk Management Immigration Law Environmental Protection Law Inheritance, Estates, and Trusts
- Business Management & Operations
- Economics, Finance, & Analytics
- Courses
Table of Contents
How does the law affect the economic strength of a nation?When is a state economically strong or weak?When is the role of law in determining a nation's economic strength?Discussion QuestionAcademic ResearchHow does the law affect the economic strength of a nation?
In summary, a well-developed legal system adds certainty in transactions - as it provides a means or method for individuals to enforce their rights.
This certainty provides additional confidence to parties in the transaction and incentivizes further transactions.
Next Article: What is the Rule of Law Back to: INTRODUCTION TO LAW
When is a state economically strong or weak?
Economists use a number of factors to determine the size and economic strength of a state.
The most common of these measures are gross domestic product (GDP) and the purchase power parity (PPP) between currencies.
GDP represents "an aggregate measure of production equal to the sum of the gross values added of all resident, institutional units engaged in production (plus any taxes, and minus any subsidies, on products not included in the value of their outputs)."
In contrast, PPP normalizes currencies and compares the purchasing power of each at a given point.
One other measure of economic productivity is the per capita income of the individuals within the state.
Taken together, these metrics help leaders or planners take action to maintain or improve conditions within the state.
When is the role of law in determining a nation's economic strength?
Important for this course, we focus on the role of law in the economic development of a state.
A commonly accepted theory about the economic strength of a nation regards the influence of law and the legal system.
Many theorists believe that a strong legal system is a foundation for a functioning economy.
That is, a strong legal system, through the clear delineation of individual rights and enforcement methods, provides confidence to individuals when undertaking productive activities.
In nations with such a system, individuals will trade or undertake transactions with the confidence that they can enforce their rights against the other party.
Not having to take extensive measures to protect her interests lowers transaction costs associated with an activity.
The result is more and continued business relationships.
- Example: An individual or business may lend you money without taking physical possession of your belongings to secure payment of the debt. In the event you fail to pay the debt, the lender can use legal channels to recuperate the funds lent. This confidence allows you to possess and make productive use of the property while you are paying for it.
Related Concepts
Discussion Question
How big is the US economy in terms of GDP? Which country has the largest GDP? Which country has the largest economy based upon PPP? Have you ever thought about what is happening when you purchase a share of stock in a corporation? Let's use Apple, Inc. (Apple), as an example. Suppose you go to a stockbroker and request to purchase one share of Apple stock. You are effectively giving over some form of currency in exchange for a piece of paper that says you own a given percentage of the Apple. You may have never seen the Apple headquarters and you may be completely unaware of the assets that Apple owns. Nonetheless, you feel confident in exchange your currency for this certificate of ownership with the understanding that you will be able to enforce any rights granted by that piece of paper. If the share entitles you to vote for corporate directs, you have a means and method of enforcing that right. If the piece of paper entitles you to a dividend from corporate earnings, you can enforce that right against the corporation. A strong legal system provides the security one desires when purchasing an interest in a corporation. In turn, Apple uses your invested funds to trade or undertake transactions. This sort of economic activity strengthens the economy. Would any of this be possible if you and the millions of other owners of Apple stock did not have the confidence to purchase that piece of paper? [ht_toggle title="Discussion Input" id="" class="" ]
- The US economy is the biggest in the world with a GDP of $19.39 trillion, edging out China which comes in second place. In terms of PPP, though, China is the world's largest economy with a GDP (PPP) of $23.15 trillion closely followed by the U.S.As $19.39 GDP (PPP). In the growth of economies, buying shares of stock in corporations plays a huge role. Stockbrokers make it easy for members of the public to decide on what corporations to invest in, and the stock market has been a significant contributor to the modern economy. Stock market trading fosters economic growth primarily through the mobilization of capital, risk sharing, and transfer. Whenever members of the public buy shares of stock of a certain corporation, say Apple, they are able to accumulate capital to fund their activities or invest in various projects which return profits in the long run. Primarily, the pooling of funds for the business activities of a corporation plays a significant role in the growth of economies.
