Notes on the Political Economy of the Colombian Caribbean Region

Abstract

The Caribean region has persistently lagged behind in terms of economic development and this is partly due to the poor quality of institutions. This paper reviews recent literature regarding the political economy of the region, and highlights some of the most relevant factors, including regional economic shifts, national political and administrative reforms, the interdependence between regional and national politics, and the systematic use of violence. Available measures tend to confirm that local institutions are ranked among the worst in the nation, with particularly low scores in fiscal capacity, transparency, and electoral crimes. In spite of this, perceived corruption remains relatively low and some of these practices are more tolerated than in the rest of the country. This may reflect a greater degree of internalization of corrupt behavior.