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The Evolution of the Finance Growth Nexus

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  • Paul Wachtel

    (Stern School of Business, New York University, 44 West 4th Street, New York, NY 10012, USA.)

Abstract

The role of the financial sector in economic growth received scant attention from economists until very recently. An explosion of research in the last 20 years has firmly entrenched the finance growth nexus in the canon of economic beliefs. This paper suggests that the literature might have over emphasised the strength of the nexus that is much more nuanced than often suggested. The most commonly used measure of financial sector development, financial depth, is difficult to interpret because it can be a reflection of economy wide leverage as well as the quality and quantity of intermediation. Our examination of experience with financial deepening and of other measures of financial activity such as value added does not suggest that finance is unimportant. Instead, it shows how difficult it is to measure financial sector activity adequately.

Suggested Citation

  • Paul Wachtel, 2011. "The Evolution of the Finance Growth Nexus," Comparative Economic Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Association for Comparative Economic Studies, vol. 53(3), pages 475-488, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:compes:v:53:y:2011:i:3:p:475-488
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    Cited by:

    1. Emmanuel Carré & Guillaume L’œillet, 2018. "The Literature on the Finance–Growth Nexus in the Aftermath of the Financial Crisis: A Review," Comparative Economic Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Association for Comparative Economic Studies, vol. 60(1), pages 161-180, March.
    2. repec:dgr:rugsom:14016-gem is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Hasan, Iftekhar & Song, Liang & Wachtel, Paul, 2014. "Institutional development and stock price synchronicity: Evidence from China," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(1), pages 92-108.
    4. James R. Brown & Gustav Martinsson & Bruce C. Petersen, 2013. "Law, Stock Markets, and Innovation," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 68(4), pages 1517-1549, August.
    5. Panicos O. Demetriades & Johan M. Rewilak & Peter L. Rousseau, 2024. "Finance, Growth, and Fragility," Journal of Financial Services Research, Springer;Western Finance Association, vol. 66(1), pages 29-49, August.
    6. Katrin Peters & Monika Schnitzer, 2015. "Trade liberalization and credit constraints: Why opening up may fail to promote convergence," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 48(3), pages 1099-1119, August.
    7. Dirk Bezemer & Maria Grydaki & Lu Zhang, 2016. "More Mortgages, Lower Growth?," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 54(1), pages 652-674, January.
    8. Peter L. Rousseau & Paul Wachtel, 2015. "Episodes of Financial Deepening: Credit Booms or Growth Generators?," Working Papers 15-09, New York University, Leonard N. Stern School of Business, Department of Economics.
    9. Takashi FUKUDA, 2020. "Finance-Growth Nexus and Globalization in Brazil, India, Philippines, Thailand, and Turkey: Evidence from VECM Cointegration Analysis," Journal of Economics and Financial Analysis, Tripal Publishing House, vol. 4(1), pages 55-77.
    10. Emmanuel Carré & Guillaume L’Œillet, 2017. "Une revue de la littérature récente sur le nexus finance-croissance après la crise : apports, limites et pistes de recherche," Revue d'économie financière, Association d'économie financière, vol. 0(3), pages 271-290.
    11. Peter Haiss & Hannes Juvan & Bernhard Mahlberg, 2016. "The Impact of Financial Crises on the Finance–Growth Relationship: A European Perspective," Economic Notes, Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena SpA, vol. 45(3), pages 423-444, November.
    12. Fukuda, Takashi, 2015. "Evidence of Korea’s Finance-Growth Nexus: VARX Analysis with Financial Crisis and Openness," MPRA Paper 98787, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    13. Thorsten Beck, 2013. "Finance, growth and fragility: the role of government," International Journal of Banking, Accounting and Finance, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 5(1/2), pages 49-77.
    14. Takashi Fukuda, 2016. "South Korea’s finance--growth nexus: evidence from VARX analysis with financial crisis and openness," Macroeconomics and Finance in Emerging Market Economies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 9(1), pages 18-33, March.
    15. Safwat Alaa & Salah Ashraf & Elsherif Marwa, 2021. "The Impact of Foreign Direct Investment on the Economic Growth of Egypt (1980-2018)," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 11(5), pages 74-85.
    16. Alexey Simanovskiy & Alexander Morozov & Andrey Sinyakov & Alexey Porshakov & Maria Pomelnikova & Yulia Ushakova & Vladimir Markelov & Mikhail Bezdudniy, 2018. "The 2008–2017 Decade in the Russian Banking Sector: Trends and Factors," Bank of Russia Working Paper Series wps31, Bank of Russia.

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