Profits and Politics: Coordinating Technology Adoption in Agriculture
Abstract
This paper examines the political economy of coordination in a simple two-sector model in which individuals' choice of agricultural technology affects industrialization. We demonstrate the existence of multiple equilibria; the economy is either characterized by the use of a traditional agricultural technology and a low level of industrialization or the use of a mechanized technology and a high level of industrialization. Relative to the traditional technology, the mechanized technology increases output but leaves some population groups worse off. We show that the distributional implications of choosing the mechanized technology restrict the possibility of Pareto-improving coordination by an elected policy-maker, even when we allow for income redistribution.Download Info
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Paper provided by Economic Growth Center, Yale University in its series Working Papers with number 922.Length: 26 pages
Date of creation: Aug 2005
Date of revision:
Handle: RePEc:egc:wpaper:922
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Related research
Keywords: Industrialization; Choice of Technology; Government Policy;Find related papers by JEL classification:
- O14 - Economic Development, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Industrialization; Manufacturing and Service Industries; Choice of Technology
- H10 - Public Economics - - Structure and Scope of Government - - - General
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