IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bic/journl/v5y2005i2p3-14.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Irish Growth Miracle: Can Latvia Replicate?

Author

Listed:
  • Morten Hansen

    (Department of Economics, Stockholm School of Economics in Riga)

Abstract

Ireland's economic development since the late 1980s has been remarkable: From languishing at the bottom of the EU to one of the top spots in income capita. It is thus not strange that the Irish "miracle" has attracted much attention among the New Member States in Eastern Europe. Some similarities with Ireland of the 1970s and 1980s are glaring: Small, open, poor economies on the periphery of Europe. This paper reviews the driving factors behind the Celtic Tiger and asks to what extent a similar development may be possible for Latvia, currently the European Union's poorest member. A classification of the reasons behind Ireland's growth paints a somewhat pessimistic picture for Latvia: Many features have long been implemented (e.g. macroeconomic stabilization) but several are unique to Ireland (e.g. language and substantial FDI from the US). Worse still, necessary reforms successfully introduced in Ireland are either difficult to implement in Latvia or the consensus is that they have, largely, been implemented (e.g. education and research). The idea of Latvia as an "Ireland copycat" is thus very deceptive which should send a strong policy signal.

Suggested Citation

  • Morten Hansen, 2005. "The Irish Growth Miracle: Can Latvia Replicate?," Baltic Journal of Economics, Baltic International Centre for Economic Policy Studies, vol. 5(2), pages 3-14, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:bic:journl:v:5:y:2005:i:2:p:3-14
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1080/1406099X.2005.10840420
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. World Bank, 2002. "Transition, The First Ten Years : Analysis and Lessons for Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 14042.
    2. Oleh Havrylyshyn & Ron van Rooden, 2003. "Institutions Matter in Transition, But So Do Policies," Comparative Economic Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Association for Comparative Economic Studies, vol. 45(1), pages 2-24, March.
    3. Nauro F. Campos & Yuko Kinoshita, 2002. "Foreign Direct Investment as Technology Transferred: Some Panel Evidence from the Transition Economies," Manchester School, University of Manchester, vol. 70(3), pages 398-419, June.
    4. Miguel Arranz & Alvaro Escribano, 2006. "Bootstrapping cointegration tests under structural co-breaks: A robust extended ECM test," TEST: An Official Journal of the Spanish Society of Statistics and Operations Research, Springer;Sociedad de Estadística e Investigación Operativa, vol. 15(1), pages 179-208, June.
    5. Stanley Fischer & Ratna Sahay, 2000. "The Transition Economies After Ten Years," NBER Working Papers 7664, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Herwartz, Helmut & Neumann, Michael H., 2005. "Bootstrap inference in systems of single equation error correction models," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 128(1), pages 165-193, September.
    7. Uwe Hassler & Jürgen Wolters, 2006. "Autoregressive Distributed Lag Models and Cointegration," Springer Books, in: Olaf Hübler & Jachim Frohn (ed.), Modern Econometric Analysis, chapter 5, pages 57-72, Springer.
    8. Ertugrul Deliktas & Mehmet Balcilar, 2005. "A Comparative Analysis of Productivity Growth, Catch-Up, and Convergence in Transition Economies," Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(1), pages 6-28, January.
    9. Gerrard, W J & Godfrey, L G, 1998. "Diagnostic Checks for Single-Equation Error-Correction and Autoregressive Distributed Lag Models," The Manchester School of Economic & Social Studies, University of Manchester, vol. 66(2), pages 222-237, March.
    10. Neil R. Ericsson & James G. MacKinnon, 2002. "Distributions of error correction tests for cointegration," Econometrics Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 5(2), pages 285-318, June.
    11. Mr. Stanley Fischer & Ms. Ratna Sahay, 2000. "The Transition Economies After Ten Years," IMF Working Papers 2000/030, International Monetary Fund.
    12. Martin Wagner & Jaroslava Hlouskova, 2005. "CEEC growth projections: Certainly necessary and necessarily uncertain," The Economics of Transition, The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, vol. 13(2), pages 341-372, April.
    13. P. J. Dawson, 2003. "Financial development and growth in economies in transition," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(13), pages 833-836.
    14. Hubert Hieke, 1997. "Balance-Of-Payments–Constrained Growth: A Reconsideration of the Evidence for the U.S. Economy," Journal of Post Keynesian Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(3), pages 313-325, March.
    15. Mantalos, Panagiotis & Shukur, Ghazi, 1998. "Size and Power of the Error Correction Model Cointegration Test. A Bootstrap Approach," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 60(2), pages 249-255, May.
    16. Jonathan Perraton, 2003. "Balance of Payments Constrained Growth and Developing Countries: An examination of Thirlwall's hypothesis," International Review of Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 17(1), pages 1-22.
    17. Jani Bekó, 2003. "The validity of the balance-of-payments-constrained growth model for a small economy in transition: the case of Slovenia," Journal of Post Keynesian Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(1), pages 69-93.
    18. Nauro F. Campos & Abrizio Coricelli, 2002. "Growth in Transition: What We Know, What We Don't, and What We Should," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 40(3), pages 793-836, September.
    19. Erkin I. Bairam, 1997. "Levels of Economic Development and Appropriate Specification of the Harrod Foreign-Trade Multiplier," Journal of Post Keynesian Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(3), pages 337-344, March.
    20. Jasminka Sohinger, 2005. "Growth and Convergence in European Transition Economies : The Impact of Foreign Direct Investment," Eastern European Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 43(2), pages 73-94, March.
    21. H. Sonmez Atesoglu, 1997. "Balance-Of-Payments–Constrained Growth Model and Its Implications for the United States," Journal of Post Keynesian Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(3), pages 327-335, March.
    22. Li, Hongyi & Maddala, G. S., 1997. "Bootstrapping cointegrating regressions," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 80(2), pages 297-318, October.
    23. A. P. Thirlwall, 1997. "Reflections on the Concept of Balance-Of-Payments–Constrained Growth," Journal of Post Keynesian Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(3), pages 377-385, March.
    24. Jeremy Berkowitz & Lutz Kilian, 2000. "Recent developments in bootstrapping time series," Econometric Reviews, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(1), pages 1-48.
    25. Tondl, Gabriele & Vuksic, Goran, 2003. "What makes regions in Eastern Europe catching up? The role of foreign investment, human resources and geography," ZEI Working Papers B 12-2003, University of Bonn, ZEI - Center for European Integration Studies.
    26. J. S. L. McCombie & A. P. Thirlwall, 1994. "Economic Growth and the Balance-of-Payments Constraint," Palgrave Macmillan Books, Palgrave Macmillan, number 978-1-349-23121-8, December.
    27. Pleskovic, Boris & Aslund, Anders & Bader, William & C, 2002. "Capacity building in economics : education and research in transition economies," Policy Research Working Paper Series 2763, The World Bank.
    28. Jan Svejnar, 2002. "Transition Economies: Performance and Challenges," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 16(1), pages 3-28, Winter.
    29. Oleh Havrylyshyn, 2001. "Recovery and Growth in Transition: A Decade of Evidence," IMF Staff Papers, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 48(4), pages 1-4.
    30. Fischer, Stanley & Sahay, Ratna & Vegh, Carlos A, 1996. "Economies in Transition: The Beginnings of Growth," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 86(2), pages 229-233, May.
    31. Christian Amplatz, 2003. "The Economic Convergence Performance of Central and Eastern European Countries," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 36(4), pages 273-295, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. K. Peren Arin & Peter H. Helles & Murat Koyuncu & Otto F. M. Reich, 2016. "Should We Care About The Composition Of Tax-Based Stimulus Packages?," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 34(3), pages 430-445, July.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Claus-Friedrich Laaser & Klaus Schrader, 2005. "Baltic Trade with Europe: Back to the Roots?," Baltic Journal of Economics, Baltic International Centre for Economic Policy Studies, vol. 5(2), pages 15-37, July.
    2. Virmantas Kvedaras, 2005. "Explanation of Economic Growth Differences in the CEE Countries: Importance of the BOP Constraint," Baltic Journal of Economics, Baltic International Centre for Economic Policy Studies, vol. 5(2), pages 48-65, July.
    3. Rasmus Kattai & John Lewis, 2005. "Hooverism, Hyperstabilisation or Halfway-House? Describing Fiscal Policy in Central and Eastern European EU Members," Baltic Journal of Economics, Baltic International Centre for Economic Policy Studies, vol. 5(2), pages 38-47, July.
    4. Ricardo Azevedo Araujo, 2012. "New Insights from a Structural Economic Dynamic Approach to Balance of Payments Constrained Growth," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Elias Soukiazis & Pedro A. Cerqueira (ed.), Models of Balance of Payments Constrained Growth, chapter 8, pages 217-238, Palgrave Macmillan.
    5. Karsten Staehr, 2005. "Reforms and Economic Growth in Transition Economies: Complementarity, Sequencing and Speed," European Journal of Comparative Economics, Cattaneo University (LIUC), vol. 2(2), pages 177-202, December.
    6. Alex Segura-Ubiergo & Alejandro Simone & Sanjeev Gupta & Qiang Cui, 2010. "New Evidence on Fiscal Adjustment and Growth in Transition Economies," Comparative Economic Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Association for Comparative Economic Studies, vol. 52(1), pages 18-37, March.
    7. Iwasaki, Ichiro & Kumo, Kazuhiro, 2016. "Decline and Growth in Transition Economies: A Meta-Analysis," CEI Working Paper Series 2016-9, Center for Economic Institutions, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    8. Falcetti, Elisabetta & Lysenko, Tatiana & Sanfey, Peter, 2006. "Reforms and growth in transition: Re-examining the evidence," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 34(3), pages 421-445, September.
    9. Iwasaki, Ichiro & 岩﨑, 一郎 & イワサキ, イチロウ, 2003. "Transition Strategies and Economic Performances in the Former Soviet States: A Comparative Institutional View," Discussion Paper Series a433, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    10. Ichiro Iwasaki, 2004. "Evolution of the Government–Business Relationship and Economic Performance in the Former Soviet States – Order State, Rescue State, Punish State," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 36(3), pages 223-257, September.
    11. Askarov, Zohid & Doucouliagos, Hristos, 2015. "Development Aid and Growth in Transition Countries," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 383-399.
    12. Hans J. Czap & Kanybek D. Nur-tegin, 2011. "Big Bang vs. Gradualism – A Productivity Analysis," EuroEconomica, Danubius University of Galati, issue 29, pages 38-56, August.
    13. Gylfason, Thorvaldur & Hochreiter, Eduard, 2009. "Growing apart? A tale of two republics: Estonia and Georgia," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 25(3), pages 355-370, September.
    14. Neimke, Markus, 2003. "Financial development and economic growth in transition countries," IEE Working Papers 173, Ruhr University Bochum, Institute of Development Research and Development Policy (IEE).
    15. Mr. Sanjeev Gupta & Mr. Alejandro Simone & Mr. Alex Segura-Ubiergo, 2006. "New Evidence on Fiscal Adjustment and Growth in Transition Economies," IMF Working Papers 2006/244, International Monetary Fund.
    16. Thorsten Beck & Luc Laeven, 2006. "Institution building and growth in transition economies," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 11(2), pages 157-186, June.
    17. Igor Pelipas & Alexander Chubrik, 2008. "Market Reforms and Growth in Post-socialist Economies: Evidence from Panel Cointegration and Equilibrium Correction Model," William Davidson Institute Working Papers Series wp936, William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan.
    18. Thorvaldur Gylfason & Eduard Hochreiter, 2011. "Growing Together: Croatia and Latvia," Comparative Economic Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Association for Comparative Economic Studies, vol. 53(2), pages 165-197, June.
    19. Anthony Philip Thirlwall, 2012. "Balance of Payments Constrained Growth Models: History and Overview," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Elias Soukiazis & Pedro A. Cerqueira (ed.), Models of Balance of Payments Constrained Growth, chapter 1, pages 11-49, Palgrave Macmillan.
    20. Sukiassyan, Grigor, 2007. "Inequality and growth: What does the transition economy data say?," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 35(1), pages 35-56, March.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Convergence; growth; transition;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E65 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Studies of Particular Policy Episodes
    • O10 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - General
    • O52 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Europe
    • P20 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Socialist and Transition Economies - - - General

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bic:journl:v:5:y:2005:i:2:p:3-14. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Anna Zasova (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/biceplv.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.