The Democratic Banker (03/2007) (Other Languages : FR / ES) Policy Insights No.38 by Javier Santiso Banks contribute not only to the economic development of emerging countries but also to political development. International bank flows in an emerging country tend to grow during the three years immediately following transition to a democratic regime. New instruments are needed to continue to confirm bank preference for democratic regimes. For instance, it would be useful to have an indicator to measure the level of banking activity in countries that respect human rights.