Eighteenth International Conference on Interdisciplinary Social Sciences

Abstract

This study investigates the extent to which the rule of law can serve as a determinant of the Human Development Index (HDI), specifically exploring potential differences between developed and emerging countries. We use the panel data regression model, using data from 2014 to 2021 of G7 and BRICS countries in our sample. The results indicate that the measure of constraints on government power has a negative relationship with the HDI and Regulatory Enforcement has a positive relationship with the HDI in both developed and emerging countries. The Absence of Corruption and Open Government measures have a positive relationship with the HDI only in developed countries and have no effect in emerging countries. The measures of Fundamental Rights, Order and Security, Civil and Criminal Justice have no effect on both samples. The results have significant implications for the formulation of policies and development strategies that seek to improve the HDI in different parts of the world and can help identify key areas that need reform to improve the rule of law around the world, which can be beneficial not only for human development, but also for the promotion of justice and equality in democratic societies.