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Human Capital, Economic Growth, and Public Expenditure

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  • Bethencourt, Carlos

    (Asian Development Bank Institute)

  • Perera-Tallo, Fernando

    (Asian Development Bank Institute)

Abstract

To understand the weak empirical relationship between human capital and macroeconomic performance, we present a model in which human capital is allocated to three activities: production, tax collection (bureaucracy), and public education. The effective tax rate is low in poor countries because tax collection requires human capital, which is scarce. Throughout the transition, the effective tax rate rises, which involves a diversion of human capital from production to bureaucracy and public education. Consequently, human capital has a weak effect on production, even when human capital is efficiently allocated. Differences in institutional quality may involve a spurious negative correlation between gross domestic product and human capital.

Suggested Citation

  • Bethencourt, Carlos & Perera-Tallo, Fernando, 2020. "Human Capital, Economic Growth, and Public Expenditure," ADBI Working Papers 1066, Asian Development Bank Institute.
    • Handle: RePEc:ris:adbiwp:1066
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Elwasila S. E. Mohamed, 2022. "Female Human Capital and Economic Growth in Sudan: Empirical Evidence for Women’s Empowerment," Merits, MDPI, vol. 2(3), pages 1-23, August.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    economic growth; human capital; bureaucracy; public education;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D73 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Bureaucracy; Administrative Processes in Public Organizations; Corruption
    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • O42 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Monetary Growth Models

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