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Social Capital, Inequality, and Economic Growth

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  • Stefan Dietrich Josten

Abstract

This paper analyzes a heterogeneous-agents OLG model incorporating both endogenous growth and social capital. An individual can either become an active part of the society's networks of trust and mutual cooperation, thus making a positive contribution to overall social capital, or stay socially disintegrated and free-ride on the community's social capital. In the modelled economy, aggregate output and economy-wide human capital and consumption all grow at the average rate of individual human-capital accumulation. An increase in inequality depresses the community's social capital, which in turn lowers the economy's growth rate.

Suggested Citation

  • Stefan Dietrich Josten, 2004. "Social Capital, Inequality, and Economic Growth," Journal of Institutional and Theoretical Economics (JITE), Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen, vol. 160(4), pages 663-680, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:mhr:jinste:urn:sici:0932-4569(200412)160:4_663:sciaeg_2.0.tx_2-u
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    Cited by:

    1. Charles-Coll, Jorge & Mayer Granados, Elisabeth L., 2017. "How much Inequality is Harmful for Growth? The Growth Maximizing Rate of Inequality in the Context of the Mexican Economy," Economia Internazionale / International Economics, Camera di Commercio Industria Artigianato Agricoltura di Genova, vol. 70(3), pages 301-318.
    2. Charles-Coll, Jorge A., 2010. "The optimal rate of inequality: A framework for the relationship between income inequality and economic growth," MPRA Paper 28921, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Michal Brzezinski, 2013. "Income polarization and economic growth," Working Papers 296, ECINEQ, Society for the Study of Economic Inequality.
    4. Jakub Bartak & Łukasz Jabłoński, 2020. "Inequality and growth: What comes from the different inequality measures?," Bulletin of Economic Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 72(2), pages 185-212, April.
    5. Bartak, Jakub & Jabłoński, Łukasz & Tomkiewicz, Jacek, 2022. "Does income inequality explain public debt change in OECD countries?," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 211-224.
    6. Guangsu Zhou & Lizhong Liu & Yang Song, 2022. "Inequality of opportunity and mass incidents: Evidence from China," Economics of Transition and Institutional Change, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(3), pages 465-488, July.
    7. T. Tavor & L. D. Gonen & M. Weber & U. Spiegel, 2018. "The Effects of Income Levels and Income Inequalities on Happiness," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 19(7), pages 2115-2137, October.
    8. Mikucka, Malgorzata & Sarracino, Francesco & Dubrow, Joshua K., 2017. "When Does Economic Growth Improve Life Satisfaction? Multilevel Analysis of the Roles of Social Trust and Income Inequality in 46 Countries, 1981–2012," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 447-459.
    9. Mikucka, Malgorzata & Sarracino, Francesco, 2014. "Making economic growth and well-being compatible: the role of trust and income inequality," MPRA Paper 59695, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. Devesh Roy & Abdul Munasib & Xing Chen, 2014. "Social trust and international trade: the interplay between social trust and formal finance," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 150(4), pages 693-714, November.
    11. Jorge Alberto Charles Coll, 2014. "Inequality and growth in the context of the Mexican economy: Does inequality matter for growth?," Working Papers 331, ECINEQ, Society for the Study of Economic Inequality.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D3 - Microeconomics - - Distribution
    • O41 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - One, Two, and Multisector Growth Models
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

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