Law and Development: A Comparative Law Aspect

This article discusses the constituent elements of law and development, discusses its history, introduces relevant theories, and explores how law and development approaches may contribute to development efforts throughout the world. In the course of addressing these issues, we emphasize those aspects of the subject that bring into focus the traditional concerns of comparative law. We also introduce a General Theory of Law and Development that seeks to capture the different aspects of a subject that has, in general, lacked theoretical articulation. This Theory attempts to define the conceptual parameters of “law” and “development” and sets forth the mechanisms by which law affects development. We also examine the discipline’s relationship with comparative law and explore the path forward.