This paper postulates the hypothesis that the stability of the rules under which different interest groups compete is a relevant consideration for explaining economic growth. Under this hypothesis, it is possible to propose indices that may capture the degree of stability of the rules of the redistributive game better than the usual measures of political stability.

We will develop our hypothesis from the interest-groups approach to public policy, an approach that can be traced back to the beginning of this century when *The Process of Government*, a seminal book by Arthur Bentley, was first published.