The common law and economic growth: Hayek Might be right Paul G. Mahoney University of Virginia School of Law 580 Massie road Charlottesville. VA 22903 (804)924-3996;fax(804)924-7536 pgm9h(@virginia. edu I thank Kevin Davis. Ronald Barry Ickes, Ross Levine, Katharina Pistor, and participants at the University of Virginia Studies workshop and the Corporate Governance: Lessons to Ross Levine for access to some of the data used in the pape, Of Michigan. I am also grateful from Transition Economy Reforms conference at the University December 28 1999The Common Law and Economic Growth: Hayek Might be Right Paul G. Mahoney University of Virginia School of Law 580 Massie Road Charlottesville, VA 22903 (804)924-3996; fax (804)924-7536 pgm9h@virginia.edu I thank Kevin Davis, Ronald Gilson, Barry Ickes, Ross Levine, Katharina Pistor, and participants at the University of Virginia Legal Studies workshop and the Corporate Governance: Lessons from Transition Economy Reforms conference at the University of Michigan. I am also grateful to Ross Levine for access to some of the data used in the paper. December 28, 1999