Traditionally different factors and variables have been considered in the economic growth models. Following Solow´s model, economists considered physical capital and technology during 1950s-1980s. With the introduction of endogenous growth models, new forms of capital were introduced in the production function; human capital, public capital and more recently social capital.
However, the consideration of qualitative variables is necessary to improve the economic growth analysis. The improvement of statistical information has favored their introduction in the economic growth models. These variables supply an important additional information to know which factor enhance economic growth and to design more efficient economic policies to avoid the evils of the crisis, that actually plays a relevant role
The main objective of the paper is to analyze the relationship between socioeconomic variables, such as social capital, rule of law, income distribution and economic growth from a theoretical and empirical point of view, for the Spanish case. For the empirical analysis we will use the information supplied in several international and Spanish institutions.