This dissertation produces a new set of orthogonal governance measures based on expert assessment data. Chapter 1 constructs the measures using a factor model. Chapter 2 applies the measures to study comparative economic development. Chapter 3 conducts a number of robustness checks on results from the first two chapters. Chapter 4 uses Monte Carlo experiments to assess potential inaccuracy in my governance measures caused by the application of the maximum-likelihood estimator to polytomous data.