Introduction “In 2010, the prestigious Nemmers Prize in Economics, awarded biennially to recognize work of lasting significance, was given to Helpman for fundamental contributions to the understanding of modern international economics and the effects of political institutions on trade policy and economic growth” (Clement, 2012). “The Mystery of Economic Growth” that was written by Elhanan Helpman provides a non-technical description of growth economics over the last half of a century. This paper will connect theory to data of four major countries United States, French, Brazil, and Japan. The principle that emerges from “The Mystery of Economic Growth” is that long term growth comes from innovation and adoption of technology in an economy. Four outlooks that Elhanan Helpman has on economic growth that are relevant in his book are able to help readers connect theory to countries and see why economies behave the way they do. First, Innovation of technology with new techniques of production helps globalization. Second, the gain of human capital for the explanation of growth rates in different counties. Third, Total Factor Productivity of technology and knowledge leads to greater prosperity and economic growth in a country. Fourth, economic intuitions play a role in economic growth by implementing policies. The next paragraphs will relate these outlooks from Helpman and compare them to the economies of the United States, French, Brazil, and Japan. Innovation
The author, Greg Ip, clarifies in this article that the debt that was acquired during the downturn of the economy and today is not what we should be concerned about for the growth of the economy. He explains that the copious amounts of debt that we should be worried about is what is yet to arise. These so-called debts did include the baby boomers who were retiring and who were requiring their Social Security and Medicare, which will then send the economic debt skyrocketing. Nevertheless, he states that the fiscal budget has been described as better than in the last couple of years, for a few distinct reasons. This article states that one reason for this is because of the over-all deflation in health-care due to the affordable
The first key insight that I will be going over is from chapter 14 of How an Economy Grows. In this chapter we see how Peter and Andrew Schiff talk about a housing market on one of the islands often referred to. Everyone in the business of building, maintaining, and loaning money for a new hut wants to continue making money through their business. Nobody cares about the glut that is going on through hut building. Everyone just wants their money. They are being lied to by the media and hut builders and lenders that everything is fine. The key insight I took away from this is not to let the media fool you. Discernment in every aspect of life is important. Discernment is how you will be able to ignore false media news to ensure proper understanding of any given subject.
After World War II, society experienced many changes due to economic growth. The reason for the rise in the economy is "… the developments in technology, methods of production, communication, and transportation..." (Background; lines 1-2). These changes "… led to far more goods and services for many people..." (Background; Lines 10-11).
insights which have been neglected by the later literature of new growth theory and new trade
Economic growth occurs when there is a sustained increase in a country’s productive capacity over a period of time. Economic growth is often measured by an increase in real Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Brazil in recent years entered an economic slowdown, after a decade of strong growth in the 2000’s (averaging 4.4% between 2006 -11) underpinned by the global resources boom. Strong global demand for its commodity exports, combined with high commodity prices, helped brazil achieve sustained economic growth. This in
More recent incarnations of growth theory, following Romer (1986) and Lucas (1988), endogenize steady-state growth and technical progress, but their explanation for income differences is similar to that of the older theories. For instance, in the model of Romer (1990), a country may be more prosperous than another if it allocates more resources to innovation, but what determines this is essentially preferences and properties of the technology for creating ‘ideas’.1 Though this theoretical tradition is still vibrant in economics and has provided many insights about the mechanics of economic growth, it has for a long time seemed unable to provide a fundamental explanation for economic growth. As North and Thomas (1973, p. 2) put it: “the factors we have listed (innovation, economies of scale, education, capital accumulation etc.) are not causes of growth; they are growth” (italics in original). Factor accumulation and innovation are only proximate causes of growth. In North and Thomas’s view, the fundamental explanation of comparative growth is differences in institutions. What are institutions exactly? North (1990, p. 3) offers the following definition: “Institutions are the rules of the game in a society or, more formally, are the humanly devised constraints that shape human interaction.” He goes on to emphasize the key implications of institutions since, “In consequence they structure incentives in human exchange, whether political, social, or economic.” Of
As previously noted, one of the common debates in political science is the extent to which state control of the economy influences economic growth. According to some, democratic institutions guarantee economic growth while a heavy state hand in economic policies causes stagnation. However, in the non-free market economies, education seems to have played a major role and has synergized with the necessary adaptability to the changing global technological infrastructure. After analyzing a variety of countries using both a
As a product of colonization, the limited industrial development in the colonized area is a global issue. Because the widening gap between the rich and the poor between developing and developed countries, is the root reason of most of the contradictions and conflicts between countries in the contemporary world. And different level of industrialization caused the widening gap. So we can say the limited industrial development caused by colonialism is a real issue behind many current contradictions and conflicts. In order to reduce these conflicts and narrow the gap, the colonized countries should make a breakthrough on its limited industrialization by focusing on its own features-- resources and structures, and taking effective measures-- impoting foreign capital and technology and establishing independent or joint scientific research and ventures, to gain a long-term economic growth. For the relation between the colonization and the limited industrialization in colony, there are usually two views. One view is that people blame the colonizer were not willing to promote the development of industry in the colony. The other view is that people emphasize it was hard for the colonized to start the process of industrialization in the colony. In my opinion, both of the views are reasonable, but neither of them is comprehensive. In order to demonstrate my opinion on the relation, I choose British India and the Belgian Congo as two objects to analysis in the following paragraphs
Growth and perpetual change of this stature was not just an increase in demand and labor or even investments. Geography lends to some of the differences between countries however it does not explain why growth was more or less successful due to emerging and sustaining growth of the region. Innovation to the greatest
The variables upon which indicates economic growth are created using quantitative methods, as stated above, using various data from the WTO , the UK Data service, WDI and the IMF . By analyzing data between the time period 2000-2013 (latest available data), I aim to show the main causations of growth in Brazil, as ultimately growth occurs over time. Ultimately current and past policies will be analyzed and the effectiveness of these will be proven throughout the paper.
Rostow’s theory of economic growth (or Rostovian take-off model), is historically one of the major models of economic growth. Published in 1960 by American economist Walt Whitman Rostow, the model dictates that economic growth occurs in five stages of fluctuating time periods. The five stages include 1) the traditional society, 2) the preconditions for take-off, 3) the take-off, 4) the drive to maturity, and finally, 5) the age of mass production. The following definitions were established by Walt Rostow in his book published in 1960, The Stages of Economic Growth. The first stage, the traditional society, describes countries where the population is still actively engaged in agricultural practises, therefore eliminating any time available to undertake major economic and entrepreneurial risks. The technology and science in use is also described as ‘pre-Newtonian’. Examples of such societies include Medieval Europe and Chinese dynasties. The second stage, preconditions for take-off, is explained as encompassing nations with a more stable political base. This stage was clearly established in Western Europe in the late seventeenth century and early eighteenth century, as scientific advancements and continued industrialisation had aided agriculture and the capital market to thrive. The next stage is the actual take off stage, where new industries appear and agriculture is being commercialised. Steady growth is evident through the exploitation of natural resources, and savings
Economic growth refers to the rate of increase in the total production of goods and services within an economy. Economic growth increases the productivity capacity of an economy, thereby allowing more wants to be satisfied. A growing economy increases employment opportunities, stimulates business enterprise and innovation. A sustained economic growth is fundamental to any nation wishing to raise its standard of living and provide a greater well being for all. Gross domestic product (GDP) is the monetary value of all final goods and services produced over a year. It is the total value of production within the economy. The total value of production is the total value of the final goods or services less the cost of
workforce over the next few years due to a fall in the birth rate in
In economic literature, this model is called capital only model. Harrod and Domar (1948) took over from Rostow, because Rostow had some unanswered questions. The model stated that saving is a certain proportion of national income and net investment is defined as the change in capital stock (K). The model further assumes that there is some direct relationship between the size of the capital stock, (K), and total GNP, (Y). This follows that any addition to the capital stock in the form of new investment will bring about corresponding increase in the flow of national output, GNP. This relationship is known in economics as the capital-output ratio. If the capital-output ratio is defined as k and assume further that the national savings ratio, s, is a fixed proportion of national output (e.g. 6%) and that total new investment is determined by the level of total savings, we can construct the following simple model of economic growth Balami (2006).
According to capitalist ideals, free markets combined with a limited government will result in growth, freedom, and a prosperous economy. The Mystery of Capital outlines the importance of capitalism in economic prosperity, but Hernando DeSoto explains that capitalism alone is not enough, we also need to look at something else that allowed the West to prosper under capitalism. Richard McGregor, in The Party: The Secret World of China’s Communist Rulers illustrates Chinas graduated “cherry-picking” of capitalist practices that resulted in small economic successes, however the Communist Chinese Party fears the delivery of freedom to their people. The Chinese elite fear freedom because it could lead to the end of the dictatorship in China, and end their rule. This fear cripples economic growth for China, and will not allow capitalism to thrive in their economy. These two novels explain two core concepts in understanding capitalism and its implementation. Hernando De Soto explores why capitalism succeeds in the West and fails in underdeveloped countries. Richard McGregor’s novel The Party speaks to Communist China and other communist counties that fail to produce economic growth. The core opposition that fuels the differences between capitalism and communism is ultimately freedom and choice. Capitalist governments are often democratic, protect private ownership, and