IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/lev/wrkpap/wp_952.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Notes on the Accumulation and Utilization of Capital: Some Theoretical Issues

Author

Listed:
  • Michalis Nikiforos

Abstract

This paper discusses some issues related to the triangle between capital accumulation, distribution, and capacity utilization. First, it explains why utilization is a crucial variable for the various theories of growth and distribution--more precisely, with regards to their ability to combine an autonomous role for demand (along Keynesian lines) and an institutionally determined distribution (along classical lines). Second, it responds to some recent criticism by Girardi and Pariboni (2019). I explain that their interpretation of the model in Nikiforos (2013) is misguided, and that the results of the model can be extended to the case of a monopolist. Third, it provides some concrete examples of why demand is a determinant for the long-run rate of utilization of capital. Finally, it argues that when it comes to the normal rate of utilization, it is the expected growth rate of demand that matters, not the level of demand.

Suggested Citation

  • Michalis Nikiforos, 2020. "Notes on the Accumulation and Utilization of Capital: Some Theoretical Issues," Economics Working Paper Archive wp_952, Levy Economics Institute.
    • Handle: RePEc:lev:wrkpap:wp_952
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.levyinstitute.org/pubs/wp_952.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Daniele Girardi & Riccardo Pariboni, 2019. "Normal utilization as the adjusting variable in Neo‐Kaleckian growth models: A critique," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 70(2), pages 341-358, May.
    2. Eichner, Alfred S & Kregel, J A, 1975. "An Essay on Post-Keynesian Theory: A New Paradigm in Economics," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 13(4), pages 1293-1314, December.
    3. Olivier Allain, 2015. "Tackling the instability of growth: a Kaleckian-Harrodian model with an autonomous expenditure component," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 39(5), pages 1351-1371.
    4. Lavoie, Marc, 1995. "The Kaleckian Model of Growth and Distribution and Its Neo-Ricardian and Neo-Marxian Critiques," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 19(6), pages 789-818, December.
    5. Petach, Luke & Tavani, Daniele, 2019. "No one is alone: Strategic complementarities, capacity utilization, growth, and distribution," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 203-215.
    6. Peter Skott & Ben Zipperer, 2012. "An empirical evaluation of three post-Keynesian models," European Journal of Economics and Economic Policies: Intervention, Edward Elgar Publishing, vol. 9(2), pages 277-307.
    7. Edwards, Brian K & Starr, Ross M, 1987. "A Note on Indivisibilities, Specialization, and Economies of Scale," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 77(1), pages 192-194, March.
    8. Joan Robinson, 1962. "Essays in the Theory of Economic Growth," Palgrave Macmillan Books, Palgrave Macmillan, number 978-1-349-00626-7.
    9. Fabio Freitas & Franklin Serrano, 2015. "Growth Rate and Level Effects, the Stability of the Adjustment of Capacity to Demand and the Sraffian Supermultiplier," Review of Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(3), pages 258-281, July.
    10. Reiner Franke, 2020. "An attempt at a reconciliation of the Sraffian and Kaleckian views on desired utilization," European Journal of Economics and Economic Policies: Intervention, Edward Elgar Publishing, vol. 17(1), pages 61-77, April.
    11. Eckhard Hein & Marc Lavoie & Till van Treeck, 2012. "Harrodian Instability And The ‘Normal Rate’ Of Capacity Utilization In Kaleckian Models Of Distribution And Growth—A Survey," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 63(1), pages 139-169, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Jose Barrales‐Ruiz & Ivan Mendieta‐Muñoz & Codrina Rada & Daniele Tavani & Rudiger von Arnim, 2022. "The distributive cycle: Evidence and current debates," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(2), pages 468-503, April.
    2. Codrina Rada, Ansel Schiavone, Rudiger von Arnim, 2021. "Goodwin, Baumol & Lewis: How structural change can lead to inequality and stagnation," Working Paper Series, Department of Economics, University of Utah 2021_04, University of Utah, Department of Economics.
    3. Codrina Rada, Marcio Santetti, Ansel Schiavone, Rudiger von Arnim, 2021. "Post-Keynesian vignettes on secular stagnation:From labor suppression to natural growth," Working Paper Series, Department of Economics, University of Utah 2021_05, University of Utah, Department of Economics.
    4. N. V. Suvorov & S. I. Maksimtsova & E. E. Balashova & E. A. Rutkovskaya & S. V. Treshchina & Yu. V. Beletsky, 2022. "Methodological Issues and Quantitative Results of Estimating the Retrospective Dynamics of Production Capacities in Relationship with the Dynamics of Fixed Assets," Studies on Russian Economic Development, Springer, vol. 33(6), pages 605-617, December.
    5. Brian Hartley, 2022. "Episodic incidence of Harrodian instability and the Kaleckian growth model: A Markov‐switching approach," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 73(1), pages 268-290, February.
    6. Codrina Rada & Ansel Schiavone & Rudiger von Arnim, 2022. "Goodwin, Baumol & Lewis: How structural change can lead to inequality and stagnation," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 73(4), pages 1070-1093, November.
    7. Michalis Nikiforos, 2021. "Notes on the accumulation and utilization of capital: Some empirical issues," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 72(4), pages 679-695, November.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Michalis Nikiforos, 2023. "Notes on the accumulation and utilization of capital: Some theoretical issues," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 74(1), pages 223-247, February.
    2. Eckhard Hein, 2019. "Harrodian instability in Kaleckian models and Steindlian solutions," FMM Working Paper 46-2019, IMK at the Hans Boeckler Foundation, Macroeconomic Policy Institute.
    3. Amitava Krishna Dutt, 2017. "Heterodox Theories Of Economic Growth And Income Distribution: A Partial Survey," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(5), pages 1240-1271, December.
    4. Eckhard Hein, 2017. "Post-Keynesian macroeconomics since the mid 1990s: main developments," European Journal of Economics and Economic Policies: Intervention, Edward Elgar Publishing, vol. 14(2), pages 131-172, September.
    5. Attilio Trezzini, 2021. "Harrodian Instability: An Unhelpful Analytical Concept," Review of Radical Political Economics, Union for Radical Political Economics, vol. 53(2), pages 320-336, June.
    6. Gahn, Santiago José, 2021. "On the adjustment of capacity utilisation to aggregate demand: Revisiting an old Sraffian critique to the Neo-Kaleckian model," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 325-360.
    7. Petach, Luke & Tavani, Daniele, 2022. "Aggregate demand externalities, income distribution, and wealth inequality," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 433-446.
    8. Michalis Nikiforos, 2018. "Some Comments on the Sraffian Supermultiplier Approach to Growth and Distribution," Economics Working Paper Archive wp_907, Levy Economics Institute.
    9. Lorenzo Di Domenico, 2021. "Multiplicity and not necessarily heterogeneity: implications for the long-run degree of capacity utilization," Working Papers PKWP2116, Post Keynesian Economics Society (PKES).
    10. Santiago José Gahn & Alejandro González, 2022. "On the empirical content of the convergence debate: Cross‐country evidence on growth and capacity utilisation," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 73(3), pages 825-855, July.
    11. Daniele Girardi & Riccardo Pariboni, 2020. "Autonomous demand and the investment share," Review of Keynesian Economics, Edward Elgar Publishing, vol. 8(3), pages 428-453, July.
    12. Lídia Brochier & Antonio Carlos, 2019. "A supermultiplier Stock-Flow Consistent model: the “return” of the paradoxes of thrift and costs in the long run?," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 43(2), pages 413-442.
    13. Guilherme Spinato Morlin & Nikolas Passos & Riccardo Pariboni, 2021. "Growth theory and the growth model perspective: Insights from the supermultiplier," Department of Economics University of Siena 869, Department of Economics, University of Siena.
    14. Won Jun Nah & Lavoie, Marc, 2018. "Overhead labour costs in a neo-Kaleckian growth model with autonomous expenditures," IPE Working Papers 111/2018, Berlin School of Economics and Law, Institute for International Political Economy (IPE).
    15. Mark Setterfield, 2021. "Harrodians and Kaleckians: a suggested reconciliation and synthesis," Working Papers 2111, New School for Social Research, Department of Economics, revised Jan 2022.
    16. Eckhard Hein, 2016. "Secular stagnation or stagnation policy? Steindl after Summers," PSL Quarterly Review, Economia civile, vol. 69(276), pages 3-47.
    17. Mark Setterfield & Joana David Avritzer, 2020. "Hysteresis in the normal rate of capacity utilization: A behavioral explanation," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 71(4), pages 898-919, November.
    18. Eric Kemp‐Benedict, 2020. "Convergence of actual, warranted, and natural growth rates in a Kaleckian–Harrodian‐classical model," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 71(4), pages 851-881, November.
    19. Sasaki, Hiroaki, 2012. "Is the long-run equilibrium wage-led or profit-led? A Kaleckian approach," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 23(3), pages 231-244.
    20. Michalis Nikiforos & Marcio Santetti & Rudiger von Arnim, 2021. "The Sraffian Supermultiplier and Cycles: Theory and Empirics," Economics Working Paper Archive wp_993, Levy Economics Institute.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Accumulation; Growth; Distribution; Utilization;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • B22 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - History of Economic Thought since 1925 - - - Macroeconomics
    • O4 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity
    • D3 - Microeconomics - - Distribution
    • D2 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:lev:wrkpap:wp_952. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Elizabeth Dunn (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.levyinstitute.org .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.