Corruption and Economic Growth: Empirical Evidence from North African Countries
Keywords:
Corruption, Economic Growth, North Africa, Panel DataAbstract
Corruption is described as a social disease that is almost impossible to eradicate once it penetrates a society. The World Bank highlights corruption as one of the principal barriers to sustainable economic and social development. In recent times, its detrimental influence has intensified across various regions.
From a theoretical standpoint, several factors are known to shape economic growth, with corruption positioned prominently among them. Numerous scholars identify corruption as a critical element when assessing the performance of global economies. Economists generally define corruption as "the misuse of public power for personal benefit."
In the context of North African nations, corruption has emerged as a central issue affecting multiple dimensions of economic and social life. Consequently, it stands as a significant obstacle to the region's long-term economic progress. Against this backdrop, the current study explores the causal relationship between corruption and economic growth in five North African countries, employing a panel data analysis covering the period from 2005 to 2020.
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