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Human Capital, Technical Change, and the Welfare State

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  • Roland Bénabou

    (Princeton University, Institute for Advanced Study, CEPR and NBER,)

Abstract

I study the interactions between the distribution of human capital, technological choice, and redistributive institutions. I first ask what makes alternative social contracts such as a European-style "welfare state" and U.S.-style "laissez-faire" sustainable, and in particular how each is affected by skill-biased technical change. I then endogenize technological or organizational choice, and show that firms respond to greater human capital heterogeneity with more flexible technologies that further exacerbate wage equality. I then analyze the simultaneous determination of technology, income distribution, and redistributive institutions, and as well as spillovers between the social contracts of different countries. (JEL: D31, O33, J3, H10) Copyright (c) 2003 The European Economic Association.

Suggested Citation

  • Roland Bénabou, 2003. "Human Capital, Technical Change, and the Welfare State," Journal of the European Economic Association, MIT Press, vol. 1(2-3), pages 522-532, 04/05.
    • Handle: RePEc:tpr:jeurec:v:1:y:2003:i:2-3:p:522-532
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    Cited by:

    1. Kerr, William R., 2014. "Income inequality and social preferences for redistribution and compensation differentials," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 62-78.
    2. Pervez Zammurad Janjua & Usman Ahmad Kamal, 2011. "The Role of Education and Income in Poverty Alleviation: A Cross-Country Analysis," Lahore Journal of Economics, Department of Economics, The Lahore School of Economics, vol. 16(1), pages 143-172, Jan-Jun.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
    • J3 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs
    • H10 - Public Economics - - Structure and Scope of Government - - - General

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