This paper examines the relationship between institutions and economic growth under the framework offered by the neoclassical theory. The author deals with the hypothesis of economic growth based on the ‘property rights system’ and describes the key theoretical and empirical issues involved, as well as the impact of this perspective on the design and implementation of public policies. Finally, the paper turns its focus to the debate about institutional change and compares difficulties faced by various approaches that attempt to offer explanations with regard to the causes of permanent changes in the trajectory of economic growth of one or another country.