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A Note On Economic Growth With Subsistence Consumption

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  • Strulik, Holger

Abstract

It is well known that the performance of simple models of economic growth improves substantially through the introduction of subsistence consumption. How to compute subsistence needs, however, is a difficult and controversial issue. Here, I reconsider the linear (Ak) growth model with subsistence consumption and show that the evolution of savings rates and economic growth rates over time is independent of the size of subsistence needs. The model is thus more general and less subject to arbitrariness than might have been thought initially. Quantitatively, it is shown that, although there is no degree of freedom to manipulate transitional dynamics, the model approximates the historical evolution of savings rates and growth rates reasonably well.

Suggested Citation

  • Strulik, Holger, 2010. "A Note On Economic Growth With Subsistence Consumption," Macroeconomic Dynamics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 14(5), pages 763-771, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:macdyn:v:14:y:2010:i:05:p:763-771_99
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    10. Dalgaard, Carl-Johan & Strulik, Holger, 2007. "A Bioeconomic Foundation of the Malthusian Equilibrium: Body Size and Population Size in the Long-Run," Hannover Economic Papers (HEP) dp-373, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Wirtschaftswissenschaftliche Fakultät.
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    Cited by:

    1. Francesco Menoncin & Stefano Nembrini, 2018. "Stochastic continuous time growth models that allow for closed form solutions," Journal of Economics, Springer, vol. 124(3), pages 213-241, July.
    2. Antony, Jürgen & Klarl, Torben, 2019. "Resource depletion in a Ramsey economy with subsistence consumption, exogenous technical change and capital depreciation: A full characterization," VfS Annual Conference 2019 (Leipzig): 30 Years after the Fall of the Berlin Wall - Democracy and Market Economy 203640, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    3. Debajyoti Chakrabarty, 2023. "Relative deprivation, time preference, and economic growth," International Journal of Economic Theory, The International Society for Economic Theory, vol. 19(3), pages 489-525, September.
    4. Holger Strulik, 2014. "Knowledge And Growth In The Very Long Run," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 55(2), pages 459-482, May.
    5. Gamannossi degl’Innocenti, Duccio & Levaggi, Rosella & Menoncin, Francesco, 2022. "Tax avoidance and evasion in a dynamic setting," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 204(C), pages 443-456.
    6. Levaggi, Rosella & Menoncin, Francesco, 2013. "Optimal dynamic tax evasion," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 37(11), pages 2157-2167.
    7. Dalgaard, Carl-Johan & Strulik, Holger, 2013. "The history augmented Solow model," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 134-149.
    8. Strulik, Holger, 2012. "Patience and prosperity," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 147(1), pages 336-352.
    9. Antony, Jürgen & Klarl, Torben, 2019. "Non-renewable resources, subsistence consumption, and Hartwick's investment rule," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 124-142.
    10. Strulik, Holger, 2015. "Hyperbolic discounting and endogenous growth," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 126(C), pages 131-134.
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    12. Antony, Jürgen & Klarl, Torben, 2023. "Subsistence consumption and natural resource depletion: Can resource-rich low-income countries realize sustainable consumption paths?," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    13. Jürgen Antony & Torben Klarl, 2019. "Non-Renewable Resources in a Ramsey Economy with Subsistence Consumption, Human and Physical Capital Accumulation: A full Characterization," Bremen Papers on Economics & Innovation 1904, University of Bremen, Faculty of Business Studies and Economics.
    14. Thomas Christiaans, 2017. "On the implications of declining population growth for regional migration," Journal of Economics, Springer, vol. 122(2), pages 155-171, October.
    15. Strulik, Holger, 2012. "Poverty, voracity, and growth," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 97(2), pages 396-403.
    16. Sharp, Paul & Strulik, Holger & Weisdorf, Jacob, 2012. "The determinants of income in a Malthusian equilibrium," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 97(1), pages 112-117.
    17. Antony, Jürgen & Klarl, Torben, 2022. "Poverty and sustainable development around the world during transition periods," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    18. Stefan Baumgärtner & Moritz A. Drupp & Martin F. Quaas, 2017. "Subsistence, Substitutability and Sustainability in Consumption," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 67(1), pages 47-66, May.
    19. Yu Murayama, 2022. "Human Capital Inequality with Subsistence Consumption," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 13(3), pages 2127-2137, September.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • O11 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • O41 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - One, Two, and Multisector Growth Models
    • D90 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - General

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