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Well-Being in the Small and in the Large

Author

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  • Andrew K. Rose

    (B. T. Rocca Jr. Professor of International Business, Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley (E- mail: arose@haas.berkeley.edu; website: http//faculty.haas.berkeley.edu/arose))

Abstract

Is it better to live in a big country than a small one? In this paper, I examine whether economic and social conditions vary systematically with the population of a country. Economics provides a number of theoretical reasons why country size should matter, for instance, because of increasing returns to scale or because it is easier to provide public goods to a larger populace. However, there is little empirical evidence linking the scale of country size to any of a multitude of indicators of economic and social welfare.

Suggested Citation

  • Andrew K. Rose, 2006. "Well-Being in the Small and in the Large," Monetary and Economic Studies, Institute for Monetary and Economic Studies, Bank of Japan, vol. 24(2), pages 55-72, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:ime:imemes:v:24:y:2006:i:2:p:55-72
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Alesina, Alberto & Devleeschauwer, Arnaud & Easterly, William & Kurlat, Sergio & Wacziarg, Romain, 2003. "Fractionalization," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 8(2), pages 155-194, June.
    2. Robert E. Hall & Charles I. Jones, 1999. "Why do Some Countries Produce So Much More Output Per Worker than Others?," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 114(1), pages 83-116.
    3. Perkins, Dwight H. & Syrquin, Moshe, 1989. "Large countries: The influence of size," Handbook of Development Economics, in: Hollis Chenery & T.N. Srinivasan (ed.), Handbook of Development Economics, edition 1, volume 2, chapter 32, pages 1691-1753, Elsevier.
    4. Charles I. Jones, 1999. "Growth: With or Without Scale Effects?," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 89(2), pages 139-144, May.
    5. Krugman, Paul, 1980. "Scale Economies, Product Differentiation, and the Pattern of Trade," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 70(5), pages 950-959, December.
    6. Andrew K. Rose, 2006. "Size Really Doesn't Matter: In Search of a National Scale Effect," NBER Working Papers 12191, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    7. Rose, Andrew K., 2006. "Size really doesn't matter: In search of a national scale effect," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 20(4), pages 482-507, December.
    8. Paolo Mauro, 1995. "Corruption and Growth," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 110(3), pages 681-712.
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    Cited by:

    1. Dridi, Mohamed, 2013. "Corruption and Economic Growth: The Transmission Channels," MPRA Paper 47873, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Éloi Laurent & Jacques Le Cacheux, 2010. "Taille des pays et stratégies de croissance," Revue de l'OFCE, Presses de Sciences-Po, vol. 0(1), pages 171-190.
    3. repec:spo:wpmain:info:hdl:2441/eu4vqp9ompqllr09h95chf5k8 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/eu4vqp9ompqllr09h95chf5k8 is not listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Population; Empirical; Data; National; Country; Scale; Size;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O57 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Comparative Studies of Countries

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