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Productivity Versus Welfare; Or GDP Versus Weitzman's NDP

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  • Nicholas Oulton

Abstract

While GDP is the appropriate measure of output, I argue that Weitzman's NDP (WNDP)—nominal net domestic product deflated by the price of consumption—is the appropriate measure of welfare. Total factor productivity (TFP) growth measures the shift in the GDP frontier, and there is an analogous concept for WNDP, which I call total factor welfare (TFW) growth. I calculate and compare WNDP and GDP, and TFP and TFW, for the United States in the 1990s. I find that the acceleration of WNDP post 1995 was as great as that of GDP, even though the aggregate depreciation rate was rising.

Suggested Citation

  • Nicholas Oulton, 2004. "Productivity Versus Welfare; Or GDP Versus Weitzman's NDP," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 50(3), pages 329-355, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:revinw:v:50:y:2004:i:3:p:329-355
    DOI: 10.1111/j.0034-6586.2004.00129.x
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    Cited by:

    1. Thomas Aronsson, 2010. "Welfare Measurement, Involuntary Unemployment, And Heterogeneity," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 56(3), pages 559-571, September.
    2. Voxi Heinrich S. Amavilah, 2005. "The National Wealth of Selected Countries - A Descriptive Essay," Development and Comp Systems 0508007, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Oulton, Nicholas & Wallis, Gavin, 2016. "Capital stocks and capital services: Integrated and consistent estimates for the United Kingdom, 1950–2013," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 117-125.
    4. Abdul Azeez Erumban, 2008. "Lifetimes Of Machinery And Equipment: Evidence From Dutch Manufacturing," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 54(2), pages 237-268, June.
    5. repec:dgr:rugggd:gd-87 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Jorge Durán & Omar Licandro & Luis A. Puch, 2006. "Sobre la medición del crecimiento económico en presencia de progreso técnico incorporado," Working Papers 2006-24, FEDEA.
    7. Ulrich Kohli, 2023. "Trading gains: terms‐of‐trade and real‐exchange‐rate effects," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 69(4), pages 975-998, December.
    8. Nicholas Oulton, 2023. "The effect of changes in the terms of trade on GDP and welfare: A Divisia approach to the System of National Accounts," Manchester School, University of Manchester, vol. 91(4), pages 261-282, July.
    9. Duernecker, Georg & Herrendorf, Berthold & Valentinyi, Ákos, 2021. "The productivity growth slowdown and Kaldor’s growth facts," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).
    10. Oulton, Nicholas, 2004. "A statistical framework for the analysis of productivity and sustainable development," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 19963, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    11. Ulrich Kohli, 2022. "Trading Gains and Productivity: A Törnqvist Approach," International Productivity Monitor, Centre for the Study of Living Standards, vol. 42, pages 63-86, Spring.
    12. Nicholas Oulton & Sylaja Srinivasan, 2003. "Capital stocks, capital services, and depreciation: an integrated framework," Bank of England working papers 192, Bank of England.
    13. Mauro Giorgio Marrano & Jonathan Haskel & Gavin Wallis, 2009. "What Happened To The Knowledge Economy? Ict, Intangible Investment, And Britain'S Productivity Record Revisited," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 55(3), pages 686-716, September.
    14. Oulton, Nicholas, 2007. "Investment-specific technological change and growth accounting," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 54(4), pages 1290-1299, May.
    15. Iain Clacher, 2010. "National accounting for intangible assets in the knowledge economy," Journal of Financial Regulation and Compliance, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 18(2), pages 106-119, May.

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