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The American Dual Economy

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  • Peter Temin

Abstract

I describe the American economy in the twenty-first century as a dual economy in the spirit of W. Arthur Lewis. Similar to the subsistence and capitalist economies characterized by Lewis, I distinguish a low-wage sector and a finance, technology, and electronics (FTE) sector. The transition from the low-wage to the FTE sector is through education, which is becoming increasingly difficult for members of the low-wage sector because the FTE sector has largely abandoned the American tradition of quality public schools and universities. Policy debates about public education and other policies that serve the low-wage sector often characterize members of the low-wage sector as black even though the low-wage sector is largely white. This model of a modern dual economy explains difficulties in many current policy debates, including education, health care, criminal justice, infrastructure, and household debts.

Suggested Citation

  • Peter Temin, 2016. "The American Dual Economy," International Journal of Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(2), pages 85-123, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:mes:ijpoec:v:45:y:2016:i:2:p:85-123
    DOI: 10.1080/08911916.2016.1185311
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Congressional Budget Office, 2014. "The Distribution of Household Income and Federal Taxes, 2011," Reports 49440, Congressional Budget Office.
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    9. Tirman, John, 2015. "Dream Chasers: Immigration and the American Backlash," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262028921, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Thomas Ferguson & Paul Jorgensen & Jie Chen, 2016. "How Money Drives US Congressional Elections," Working Papers Series 48, Institute for New Economic Thinking.

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