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Capital substitution in an industrial revolution

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  • Peter Berg
  • Mark Staley

Abstract

A unified growth model is presented in which productivity growth is driven by learning‐by‐doing. We show that the growth rate of productivity is an increasing function of the share of capital. It is assumed that the industrial sector has a higher capital share than the agricultural sector and that the ability to substitute one output for the other in the construction of capital goods slowly rises over time. Two distinct regimes of constant growth emerge, connected by a rapid transition in which the growth rate of income increases by an order of magnitude, indicative of an industrial revolution. Substitution du capital dans une Révolution industrielle. On présente un modèle unifié de croissance dans lequel la croissance de la productivité est enclenchée par l’apprentissage sur le tas. On montre que le taux de croissance de la productivité est une fonction croissante de la part du capital. On assume que le secteur industriel a une plus grande portion du capital que le secteur agricole, et que la capacité à substituer un output pour un autre dans la construction des biens capitaux s’accroît lentement dans lee temps. Deux régimes distincts de croissance constante émergent – connectés par une transition rapide dans laquelle le taux de croissance du revenu s’accroît par un ordre de magnitude caractérisant une Révolution Industrielle.

Suggested Citation

  • Peter Berg & Mark Staley, 2015. "Capital substitution in an industrial revolution," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 48(5), pages 1975-2004, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:wly:canjec:v:48:y:2015:i:5:p:1975-2004
    DOI: 10.1111/caje.12187
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    JEL classification:

    • N10 - Economic History - - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics; Industrial Structure; Growth; Fluctuations - - - General, International, or Comparative

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