1. Origins of the economy as collective activity -- 2. Custom and path-dependence. Social capital as accumulation factor -- 3. The role of the state in economic development -- 4. Competition in Enlightenment economists -- 5. On the productiveness of welfare expenditures -- 6. Keynesian Policy...

Even before the onset of the 2008 global financial crisis and ongoing European debt crisis, much attention has been given to the re-emergence of the Asian giants, the People's Republic of China (PRC) and India. Both countries have attained unprecedented growth and economic development-PRC and...

This edited collection explores the links between human capital (both in the form of health and in the form of education), demographic change, and economic growth. Using empirical as well as theoretical perspectives, the authors investigate several important issues in the context of human...

Part I Human Capital in the Form of Education, Demographic Change, and Their Economic Implications -- Chapter 1: The Non-linearity in the Relationship Between Human Capital and Growth; Alessandra Pelloni, Thanasis Stengos, and Fabrizio Valenti -- Chapter 2: Optimal Life-Cycle Education Decisions...

This paper examines the causes of Taiwan's exceptional economic performance, focusing on the influence of organizational and policy choices and how Taiwan's example differs from those of more typical less-developed countries. After briefly citing cultural factors as proposed by his late...

Compared to other regions of the world, Africa is lagging in its drive toward knowledgebased economies. This study systematically reviews the literature in order to highlight the policies and strategies with which African countries can accelerate their current drive towards building...

High instability and low growth characterize the macroeconomic performance of most developing countries. Inadequate policies are often to blame. This paper documents the empirical regularities that characterize the relationship between macroeconomic-financial policies, instability, and growth...

Cuban reform process lags behind the GDP growth reached by the Vietnamese. When comparing the evolution of the different sectors and demand components of GDP, Vietnam has had higher growth rates in all cases, highlighting exports first and investment second. Once the Balance of Payments...

The paper combines insights from the recent research programs on constitutions and economic policy, and on history, institutions and growth. Drawing on cross-sectional as well as panel data, it presents new empirical results showing that the form of democracy (rather than democracy vs....