Similarité institutionnelle, qualité des institutions et commerce international

Using a gravity model of trade, this paper examines the consequences on inter- national trade of the quality and the similarity of domestic institutions. We find an asymme- tric impact on trade of institutions quality. Our estimations show that a country exports all the more since the quality of its institutions is high; but that the importing country quality of institutions only affects exports from Northern countries. They also invalidate second best theories which see corruption as a way “to grease the wheels of trade”. Lastly, they encourage us to explore further the consequences on trade of institutional similarity.