Economic Growth 25 McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright © 2012 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Economic Growth Increase in real GDP or real GDP per capita over some time period Percentage rate of growth Growth as a goal Arithmetic of growth: Rule of 70 Approximate number of years required to double real GDP = 70 annual percentage rate of growth LO1 25-2

Economic Growth Growth in U.S. real GDP Increased 6 fold 3.2% per year Growth in U.S. real GDP per capita Increased more than 3 fold 2% per year Qualifications Improved products and services Added leisure Other impacts LO1 25-3

Modern Economic Growth Began with the Industrial Revolution in late 1700s Ongoing increases in living standards Time for leisure Social change Democracy Human lifespan doubled LO2 25-4

Modern Economic Growth Began in Britain Has spread slowly Starting date main cause of worldwide differences in living standards Catching up is possible Leader countries invent technology Follower countries adopt technology Can grow faster LO2 25-5

Modern Economic Growth Real GDP Real GDP Average annual per capita, per capita, growth rate, Country United States $ 14,766 $42, % United Kingdom 11,257 32, France 9,347 29, Ireland 6,666 41, Japan 5,473 30, Singapore 4,149 44, Hong Kong 3,849 43, South Korea 1,765 23, Figures are in 2005 dollars Source: Penn World Table version 6.3, pwt.econ.upenn.edu LO2 25-6

Modern Economic Growth LO3 25-7

Institutional Structures of Growth Strong property rights Patents and copyrights Efficient financial institutions Literacy and widespread education Free trade Competitive market system LO3 25-8

Determinants of Growth LO3 Supply factors Increases in quantity and quality of natural resources Increases in quality and quantity of human resources Increases in the supply (or stock) of capital goods Improvements in technology Demand factor Households, businesses, and government must purchase the economys expanding output Efficiency factor Must achieve economic efficiency and full employment 25-9

Accounting for Growth Factors affecting productivity growth Technological advance (40%) Quantity of capital (30%) Education and training (15%) Economies of scale and resource allocation (15%) LO

Productivity Growth Average rate of growth 1.5% per year % per year Affects real output, real income, and real wages Pay higher wages without lowering profit LO

Productivity Growth Microchip/information technology New firms and increasing returns Sources of increasing returns More specialized inputs Spreading of development costs Simultaneous consumption Network effects Learning by doing Global competition LO

Economic Growth Is economic growth desirable and sustainable? The antigrowth view Environmental and resource issues In defense of economic growth Higher standard of living Human imagination can solve environmental and resource issues LO

Economic Growth Growth is the path to greater material abundance Results in higher standards of living Increases leisure time Allows for the expansion and application of human knowledge LO

Global Perspective LO