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The balance of payments-constrained growth rate and the natural rate of growth: new empirical evidence

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  • Matteo Lanzafame

Abstract

This paper implements a panel approach to investigate the empirical relevance of ‘Thirlwall’s law‘, which states that long-run growth must be consistent with balance of payments (BOP) equilibrium and is thus determined on the demand side. Building on autoregressive distributed lag modelling, mean-group and pooled mean-group estimation methods, we use annual data over the 1960–2010 period for a panel of 22 OECD countries and find significant support for the ‘law’. Next, we also explore empirically the hypothesis that the BOP-constrained growth rate (y B) must equal the natural (or potential) rate of growth (y N) and find that the data do not reject this hypothesis. Finally, we adopt a new approach, based on panel Granger causality methods, to explore the direction of causality between y B and y N. The results indicate the existence of unidirectional long-run causality from y B to y N, thus reinforcing the view, embodied in the law that long-run growth is determined by demand and constrained by the BOP.

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  • Matteo Lanzafame, 2014. "The balance of payments-constrained growth rate and the natural rate of growth: new empirical evidence," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 38(4), pages 817-838.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:cambje:v:38:y:2014:i:4:p:817-838.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/cje/bet058
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    3. Marwil J. Dávila-Fernández, 2019. "Manufacture Content and Financialisation: An Empirical Assessment," Department of Economics University of Siena 811, Department of Economics, University of Siena.
    4. Valeriy V. Mironov & Liudmila D. Konovalova, 2019. "Structural changes and economic growth in the world economy and Russia," Russian Journal of Economics, ARPHA Platform, vol. 5(1), pages 1-26, April.
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    6. Robert A. Blecker, 2022. "New advances and controversies in the framework of balance‐of‐payments‐constrained growth," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(2), pages 429-467, April.
    7. Mohammed Al- Mahish, 2017. "Does Balance of Payments Constrained Growth Model Hold in Saudi Arabia?," Journal of Finance and Economics Research, Geist Science, Iqra University, Faculty of Business Administration, vol. 2(1), pages 1-15, March.
    8. Basil Oberholzer, 2023. "Green Growth and the Balance‐of‐payments Constraint," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 54(4), pages 804-840, July.
    9. Magacho, Guilherme R. & Spinola, Danilo, 2020. "Supply and demand in Kaldorian growth models: a proposal for dynamic adjustment," MERIT Working Papers 2020-032, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    10. Ana Lourdes Morones Carrillo, 2016. "Crecimiento económico en México: restricción por la balanza de pagos," Ensayos Revista de Economia, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Facultad de Economia, vol. 0(1), pages 39-58, May.
    11. Felipe, Jesus & Lanzafame, Matteo & Zhuang, Juzhong, 2014. "The People’s Republic of China's Potential Growth Rate: The Long-Run Constraints," ADB Economics Working Paper Series 418, Asian Development Bank.
    12. Dávila-Fernández, Marwil J. & Oreiro, José L. & Dávila Dávila, Mario W., 2018. "Endogenizing non-price competitiveness in a BoPC growth model with capital accumulation," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 77-87.
    13. Juzhong Zhuang & Matteo Lanzafame & Jesus Felipe, 2015. "The People’s Republic of China's Potential Growth Rate: The Long-Run Constraints," Working Papers id:6656, eSocialSciences.
    14. Marwil J. Dávila-Fernández, 2018. "Alternative Approaches to Technological Change when Growth is BoPC," Department of Economics University of Siena 795, Department of Economics, University of Siena.
    15. A.P. Thirlwall, 2018. "Una vita nell’economia," Moneta e Credito, Economia civile, vol. 71(283), pages 179-210.
    16. Dávila-Fernández, Marwil J. & Sordi, Serena, 2019. "Path dependence, distributive cycles and export capacity in a BoPC growth model," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 258-272.
    17. Kevin S. Nell & A.P. Thirlwall, 2017. "Perche' la produttivita' degli investimenti varia tra paesi? (Why does the productivity of investment vary across countries?)," Moneta e Credito, Economia civile, vol. 70(279), pages 197-231.
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    JEL classification:

    • C23 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
    • O57 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Comparative Studies of Countries
    • O40 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - General
    • F43 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - Economic Growth of Open Economies

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