A Framework for analyzing institutions

The remainder of this book develops and applies this theory to address the challenges set out in Chapter 1, examining practical issues regarding the roles and effectiveness of markets, state action, and collective action in promoting agricultural developmental in different circumstances. Before embarking on this effort, however, we need to develop a conceptual framework for applying the theories described in Chapter 2 to analyze the evolution, functions, and economic and social outcomes of specific institutions, such as those governing the management of common property resources, those bringing players together in market exchange, or those assisting in the enforcement of credit contracts.