Title: The economic consequences of legal origins
Description: "In the last decade, economists have produced a considerable body of research suggesting that the historical origin of a country's laws is highly correlated with a broad range of its legal rules and regulations, as well as with economic outcomes.  We summarize this evidence and attempt a unified interpretation.  We also address several objections to the empirical claim that legal origins matter.  Finally, we assess the implications of this research for economic reform"--National Bureau of Economic Research web site.