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Elite Education, Mass Education, and the Transition to Modern Growth

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  • Holger Strulik
  • Katharina Werner

Abstract

We propose an innovation-driven growth model in which education is determined by family background and cognitive ability. We show that compulsory schooling can move a society from elite education to mass education, which then triggers market R&D. This means that our model rationalizes two different paths to modern growth: According to the Prussian way, compulsory education is implemented first and triggers the onset of market R&D. According to the British way, market R&D is initiated without mass education, which is triggered later by technical progress and economic development.

Suggested Citation

  • Holger Strulik & Katharina Werner, 2015. "Elite Education, Mass Education, and the Transition to Modern Growth," CESifo Working Paper Series 5619, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_5619
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    Cited by:

    1. Brigitte Granville & Jaume Martorell Cruz & Martha Prevezer, 2015. "Elites, Thickets and Institutions: French Resistance versus German Adaptation to Economic Change, 1945-2015," Working Papers 63, Queen Mary, University of London, School of Business and Management, Centre for Globalisation Research.
    2. Holger Strulik & Katharina Werner, 2016. "50 is the new 30—long-run trends of schooling and retirement explained by human aging," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 21(2), pages 165-187, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    long-run growth; elite education; compulsory education; longevity; R&D;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • O30 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - General
    • O40 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - General

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