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Public capital and distributional dynamics in a two-sector growth model

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  • Getachew, Yoseph Yilma

Abstract

This paper mainly develops a joint theory of public capital, inequality, and growth, in a two-sector growth model that yields complete analytical solutions. Public capital plays an important role in long-run growth through enhancing productivity and complementing the accumulation of private inputs. Under certain conditions, it could also have important implications for income inequality dynamics. Inequality is bad for growth, when the credit market is imperfect and there is a diminishing marginal rate of return on private investment. Certain public services and investment may benefit the poor more than proportionally and thus improve the distribution of income, and hence, improve economic growth through an indirect channel. The key mechanism linking the distribution of income to public capital is its disproportional effect on the economy that affects factor shares of capital. The paper also studies the determination of optimal tax.

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  • Getachew, Yoseph Yilma, 2010. "Public capital and distributional dynamics in a two-sector growth model," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 32(2), pages 606-616, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jmacro:v:32:y:2010:i:2:p:606-616
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    2. Getachew, Yoseph Yilma, 2012. "Distributional effects of public policy choices," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 115(1), pages 56-59.
    3. Sinem Kilic Celik & M. Ayhan Kose & Franziska Ohnsorge, 2023. "Potential Growth Prospects: Risks, Rewards and Policies," CAMA Working Papers 2023-19, Centre for Applied Macroeconomic Analysis, Crawford School of Public Policy, The Australian National University.
    4. Getachew, Yoseph Y. & Turnovsky, Stephen J., 2020. "Redistribution, inequality, and efficiency with credit constraints: Implications for South Africa," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 259-277.
    5. Parantap Basu & Yoseph Getachew, 2020. "Redistributive innovation policy, inequality, and efficiency," Journal of Public Economic Theory, Association for Public Economic Theory, vol. 22(3), pages 532-554, June.
    6. Getachew, Yoseph Yilma, 2016. "Credit constraints, growth and inequality dynamics," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 364-376.
    7. Chatterjee, Santanu & Turnovsky, Stephen J., 2012. "Infrastructure and inequality," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 56(8), pages 1730-1745.
    8. Basu, Parantap & Getachew, Yoseph, 2015. "An adjustment cost model of social mobility," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 177-190.
    9. Aiyar, Shekhar & Ebeke, Christian, 2020. "Inequality of opportunity, inequality of income and economic growth," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    10. Getachew, Yoseph Y. & Turnovsky, Stephen J., 2015. "Productive government spending and its consequences for the growth–inequality tradeoff," Research in Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(4), pages 621-640.
    11. Miyake, Yusuke, 2021. "Public capital and childcare capital in the two sector growth model," MPRA Paper 108311, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    12. World Bank Group, 2017. "Global Economic Prospects, January 2017," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 25823, December.

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