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The Road Not Taken - What Is The “Appropriate” Path to Development When Growth is Unbalanced?

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  • Ahmed S. Rahman

    (United States Naval Academy)

Abstract

This paper develops a model that endogenizes both directed technologies and demography. Potential innovators decide which technologies to develop after considering available factors of production, and individuals decide the quality and quantity of their children after considering available technologies. This interaction allows us to evaluate potentially divergent development paths. We nd that exogenous unskilled-labor biased technological growth can induce higher fertility and lower education, inhibiting overall growth in per person income. However, if technical progress is locally endogenous, increases in the overall workforce caused by unskilled intensive technological progress can make R&D more pro table; this can actually induce more income growth can the alternative, skill-intensive path.

Suggested Citation

  • Ahmed S. Rahman, 2010. "The Road Not Taken - What Is The “Appropriate” Path to Development When Growth is Unbalanced?," Departmental Working Papers 26, United States Naval Academy Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:usn:usnawp:26
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    Cited by:

    1. Kevin H. O’Rourke & Ahmed S. Rahman & Alan M. Taylor, 2012. "Trade, Technology and the Great Divergence," Departmental Working Papers 35, United States Naval Academy Department of Economics.
    2. Yuki, Kazuhiro, 2016. "Education, Inequality, And Development In A Dual Economy," Macroeconomic Dynamics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 20(1), pages 27-69, January.
    3. Ojha, Vijay P. & Pradhan, Basanta K. & Ghosh, Joydeep, 2013. "Growth, inequality and innovation: A CGE analysis of India," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 35(6), pages 909-927.
    4. Ahmed S. Rahman, 2017. "Rise of the Machines Redux – Education, Technological Transition and Long-run Growth," Departmental Working Papers 61, United States Naval Academy Department of Economics.

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