We present new data on the regulation of entry of start-up firms in 75 countries. The data set contains information on … official costs of entry are extremely high in most countries. Countries with heavier regulation of entry have higher corruption … benevolent regulation, but support the (grabbing hand) view that entry regulation benefits politicians and bureaucrats …

We investigate the regulation of labor markets through employment laws, collective bargaining laws, and social security … generous social security systems. Socialist and French legal origin countries have sharply higher levels of labor regulation …. Heavier regulation of labor is associated with a larger unofficial economy, lower labor force participation, and higher …