This paper turns the static Engel Curve model of consumption into a dynamic interactive theory of growth. It explains why some countries remain trapped in the vicious circle of low income and low consumption, and works out how some others can move to higher income ground. Thrifty consumption and...

We use the shifts in Engel curves calculated from household surveys to estimate CPI biases in Argentina between 1985 and 2005. We find that real earning levels increased during this period between 4.3 and 5.7% faster per year than previously estimated. More surprisingly, relative to conventional...