Showing papers by "Jane Humphries published in 1976"

Causes of Growth

Abstract: The present paper is concerned with the systematic analysis of growth rates. I have three objectives. First, certain crucial objections to the methodologies commonly employed in the study of the causes of growth are established. These methodologies require assumptions such as proportionality between factor prices and marginal productivities, and constancy of relative shares across the sample, assumptions which are inappropriate when growth involves structural changes. The main contribution of the paper is to research methodology in terms of the development of a model explaining relative growth performance. The criticism of other studies and the empirical application are ancillary to the development of our model. They are included because they illustrate characteristics of our model which are preferable from a conceptual standpoint and demonstrate superior explanatory power, respectively. In common with most analyses of growth rates the model builds on the production theoretic foundations of causes of growth. Since the model is intended for practical application, it must be testable. Thus availability of data and econometric resources impose constraints on its structure, and its development must include explanation and justification of statistical methodology. Finally, growth rates cannot be treated in isolation but should be studied within a context of other major themes in development economics. Thus the model is extended to incorporate two established ideas from development theory, the first being that inefficiences due to disequilibrium factor pricing reduce growth rates, and the second that a country's political association will influence its growth performance. These extensions, far