IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/new/wpaper/2113.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

The First Harrod Problem and Human Capital Formation

Author

Listed:
  • Gustavo Pereira Serra

    (Department of Economics, New School for Social Research)

Abstract

This paper addresses the contribution of human capital accumulation to solving the First Harrod Problem, which relates to the difference between demand-led and natural growth rates in the long run. To some extent, this paper also relates to the literature on labor-saving technical change represented as a costly process. Moreover, I show how a model that considers human capital accumulation can address overeducation and technical change. I argue that human capital formation and technological progress are complementary in economic growth: the former ensures the stability of the employment rate on the balanced growth path, whereas the latter determines its level.

Suggested Citation

  • Gustavo Pereira Serra, 2021. "The First Harrod Problem and Human Capital Formation," Working Papers 2113, New School for Social Research, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:new:wpaper:2113
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.economicpolicyresearch.org/econ/2021/NSSR_WP_132021.pdf
    File Function: First version, 2021
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Peter Skott, 2006. "Wage inequality and overeducation in a model with efficiency wages," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 39(1), pages 94-123, February.
    2. Nicholas Kaldor, 1955. "Alternative Theories of Distribution," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 23(2), pages 83-100.
    3. Robert M. Solow, 1956. "A Contribution to the Theory of Economic Growth," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 70(1), pages 65-94.
    4. Robert A. Blecker & Mark Setterfield, 2020. "On multi-sector and multi-technique models, production functions and Goodwin cycles: a reply to Libman," European Journal of Economics and Economic Policies: Intervention, Edward Elgar Publishing, vol. 17(3), pages 295-306, November.
    5. Kiersztyn, Anna, 2013. "Stuck in a mismatch? The persistence of overeducation during twenty years of the post-communist transition in Poland," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(C), pages 78-91.
    6. Dolton, Peter & Vignoles, Anna, 2000. "The incidence and effects of overeducation in the U.K. graduate labour market," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 19(2), pages 179-198, April.
    7. Daniele Tavani & Luca Zamparelli, 2017. "Endogenous Technical Change In Alternative Theories Of Growth And Distribution," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(5), pages 1272-1303, December.
    8. Theodore W. Schultz, 1960. "Capital Formation by Education," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 68, pages 571-571.
    9. Laura Carvalho & Gilberto Tadeu Lima, Gustavo Pereira Serra, 2017. "Debt-Financed Knowledge Capital Accumulation, Capacity Utilization and Economic Growth," Working Papers, Department of Economics 2017_32, University of São Paulo (FEA-USP).
    10. Gary S. Becker, 1964. "Human Capital: A Theoretical and Empirical Analysis with Special Reference to Education, First Edition," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number beck-5, March.
    11. Tavani Daniele & Zamparelli Luca, 2015. "Endogenous technical change, employment and distribution in the Goodwin model of the growth cycle," Studies in Nonlinear Dynamics & Econometrics, De Gruyter, vol. 19(2), pages 209-216, April.
    12. N. Gregory Mankiw & David Romer & David N. Weil, 1992. "A Contribution to the Empirics of Economic Growth," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 107(2), pages 407-437.
    13. Amitava Krishna Dutt & Roberto Veneziani, 2019. "Education and ‘human capitalists’ in a classical-Marxian model of growth and distribution," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 43(2), pages 481-506.
    14. Rumberger, Russell W., 1981. "The rising incidence of overeducation in the U.S. Labor market," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 1(3), pages 293-314, June.
    15. Victoria Chick, 1983. "Macroeconomics after Keynes: A Reconsideration of the General Theory," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262530457, December.
    16. Lucas, Robert Jr., 1988. "On the mechanics of economic development," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 22(1), pages 3-42, July.
    17. Harcourt,G. C., 1972. "Some Cambridge Controversies in the Theory of Capital," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521096720.
    18. Luigi L. Pasinetti, 1962. "Rate of Profit and Income Distribution in Relation to the Rate of Economic Growth," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 29(4), pages 267-279.
    19. Kupets, Olga, 2016. "Education-job mismatch in Ukraine: Too many people with tertiary education or too many jobs for low-skilled?," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 44(1), pages 125-147.
    20. Amitava Krishna Dutt, 2006. "Aggregate Demand, Aggregate Supply and Economic Growth," International Review of Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(3), pages 319-336.
    21. Alice Amsden, 2010. "Say's Law, Poverty Persistence, and Employment Neglect," Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 11(1), pages 57-66.
    22. Thomas I. Palley, 2012. "Growth, Unemployment And Endogenous Technical Progress: A Hicksian Resolution Of Harrod'S Knife-Edge," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 63(3), pages 512-541, July.
    23. Ettore Gallo & Gustavo Pereira Serra, 2020. "Inventories, Debt Financing and Investment Decisions: A Bayesian Analysis for the US Economy," Working Papers 2005, New School for Social Research, Department of Economics.
    24. Jacob Mincer, 1958. "Investment in Human Capital and Personal Income Distribution," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 66, pages 281-281.
    25. Tsang, Mun C. & Levin, Henry M., 1985. "The economics of overeducation," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 4(2), pages 93-104, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. 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.
    2. Daniele Tavani & Luca Zamparelli, 2017. "Endogenous Technical Change In Alternative Theories Of Growth And Distribution," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(5), pages 1272-1303, December.
    3. Gustavo Pereira Serra, 2023. "Household debt, student loan forgiveness, and human capital investment: a neo-Kaleckian approach," Journal of Post Keynesian Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 46(1), pages 173-206, January.
    4. Alla Kirova, 2011. "Evolution of the Human Capital Doctrine," Economic Studies journal, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences - Economic Research Institute, issue 4, pages 94-131.
    5. Mark Setterfield, 2003. "Supply and Demand in the Theory of Long-run Growth: Introduction to a symposium on demand-led growth," Review of Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(1), pages 23-32.
    6. Mueller, Normann, 2007. "(Mis-)Understanding Education Externalities," MPRA Paper 5331, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised Mar 2007.
    7. Gilberto Tadeu Lima & Laura Carvalho, Gustavo Pereira Serra, 2018. "Human Capital Accumulation, Income Distribution and Economic Growth: A Neo-Kaleckian Analytical Framework," Working Papers, Department of Economics 2018_19, University of São Paulo (FEA-USP).
    8. Ralph Hippe & Roger Fouquet, 2015. "The human capital transition and the role of policy," GRI Working Papers 185, Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment.
    9. Eleni Giouli & Pisinas Yorgos & Anna-Maria Kanzola, 2021. "Human Capital and Production Structure: Evidence from Greece," European Journal of Economics and Business Studies Articles, Revistia Research and Publishing, vol. 7, January -.
    10. repec:ebl:ecbull:v:2:y:2002:i:1:p:1-15 is not listed on IDEAS
    11. Lorenzo Serrano-Martínez, 1999. "Capital humano, estructura sectorial y crecimiento en las regiones españolas," Investigaciones Economicas, Fundación SEPI, vol. 23(2), pages 225-249, May.
    12. Michael Peneder & Karl Aiginger & Gernot Hutschenreiter & Markus Marterbauer, 2001. "Structural Change and Economic Growth," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 20668, April.
    13. Luigi L. Pasinetti, 2000. "Critique of the neoclassical theory of growth and distribution," BNL Quarterly Review, Banca Nazionale del Lavoro, vol. 53(215), pages 383-431.
    14. Mohamed Salem Ahmed Ibrahim Alhosani & Kamarul Bahari Yaakub, 2021. "Investigating the Relationship Between Total Quality Management and Primary School Academic Performance with Innovation as a Mediator Using SEM," European Journal of Economics and Business Studies Articles, Revistia Research and Publishing, vol. 7, January -.
    15. Trofimov, Ivan D. & Baawi, Nurulhana A., 2020. "Human Capital: State of the Field and Ways to Extend the Concept," MPRA Paper 107039, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    16. Silves J.C. Moreira & Pedro Cosme Vieira & Aurora A.C. Teixeira, 2014. "Estimating the human capital stock for Cape Verde, 1950-2012," FEP Working Papers 547, Universidade do Porto, Faculdade de Economia do Porto.
    17. Audi, Marc & Ali, Amjad, 2017. "Socio-Economic Development, Demographic Changes And Total Labor Productivity In Pakistan: A Co-Integrational and Decomposition Analysis," MPRA Paper 82435, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised Jun 2017.
    18. Serge Coulombe & Jean-Francois Tremblay, 2009. "Education, Productivity and Economic Growth: A Selective Review of the Evidence," International Productivity Monitor, Centre for the Study of Living Standards, vol. 18, pages 3-24, Spring.
    19. Jean-Luc Demeulemeester & Claude Diebolt, 2011. "Education and Growth: What Links for Which Policy?," Historical Social Research (Section 'Cliometrics'), Association Française de Cliométrie (AFC), vol. 36(4), pages 323-346.
    20. Kashif Munir & Shahzad Arshad, 2018. "Factor accumulation and economic growth in Pakistan: incorporating human capital," International Journal of Social Economics, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 45(3), pages 480-491, March.
    21. Naqvi, Asjad & Stockhammer, Engelbert, 2018. "Directed Technological Change in a Post-Keynesian Ecological Macromodel," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 168-188.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Human Capital; Post-Keynesian Economics; First Harrod Problem; Harrodian Instability; Aggregate Productivity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E11 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General Aggregative Models - - - Marxian; Sraffian; Kaleckian
    • E12 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General Aggregative Models - - - Keynes; Keynesian; Post-Keynesian; Modern Monetary Theory
    • E24 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity
    • O40 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - General

    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:new:wpaper:2113. 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: Mark Setterfield (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/denewus.html .

    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.