Journal article: We provide an abstract model of the interaction between culture and political institutions. The model is designed to study the political economy of elites and civil society on the determination of long-run socio-economic activity. We characterize conditions such that the cultural traits of elites and civil society and the institutions determining their relative political power complement (resp. substitute) each other, giving rise to a multiplier effect which amplifies (resp. dampens) their combined ability to spur socio-economic activity. We show how the joint dynamics may display hysteresis, oscillations, depending on the form of the interaction between elites and civil society.