Skip to main content
Log in

Power, Distributive Conflicts, and Multiple Growth Paths

  • Published:
Journal of Economic Growth Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This article shows that multiple growth paths may occurin a politico-economic model of endogenous growth. This multiplicityis characterized by the coexistence of the low-tax, low-capital-flightequilibrium and a high-tax, high-capital-flight equilibrium.The likelihood of multiplicity is crucially related to the structureof power in society—namely, it is necessary that the politicallydecisive agents have a greater access to international capitalmarkets than the average in the economy.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aghion, P., and P. Bolton. (1997). “Trickle Down and Growth,” Review of Economic Studies, forthcoming.

  • Alsenia, A., S. Ozler, N. Roubini, and P. Swagel. (1996). “Political Instability and Economic Growth,” Journal of Economic Growth1, 189–211.

    Google Scholar 

  • Alsenia, A., and D. Rodrik. (1994). “Redistributive Politics and Growth,” Quarterly Journal of Economics, 465–490.

  • Aspe, P. (1993). Economic Transformation: The Mexican Way. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Banerjee, A., and A. Newman. (1991). “Risk Bearing and the Theory of Income Distribution,” Review of Economic Studies58, 211–235.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barro, R. (1991). “Economic Growth in a Cross-section of Countries,” Quarterly Journal of Economics106(2), 407–443.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barro, R., and D. Gordon. (1983). “Rules, Discretion, and Reputation in a Model of Monetary Policy,” Journal of Monetary Economics12, 101–120.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bénabou, R. (1995). “Unequal Societies,” NBER Working Paper nx5583.

  • Blanchard, O.J., and L.H. Summers. (1987). “Fiscal Increasing Returns, Hysteresis, RealWages, and Unemployment,” European Economic Review31(3), 543–566.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bruno, M., and S. Fischer. (1990). “Seignorage, Operating Rules, and the High Inflation Trap,” Quarterly Journal of Economics105(2), 353–374.

    Google Scholar 

  • Calvo, G. (1978). “On the Time Consistency of Optimal Policy in a Monetary Economy,” Econometrica46, 1411–1428.

    Google Scholar 

  • Calvo, G. (1988). “Servicing the Public Debt: The Role of Expectations,” American Economic Review78, 647–666.

    Google Scholar 

  • De Gregorio, J., and P. Guidotti. (1993). “Financial Development and Economic Growth,” IMF Working Paper.

  • Diamond, P. (1965). “National Debt in a Neoclassical Growth Model,” American Economic Review55, 1126–1150.

    Google Scholar 

  • Easterly, W., and S. Rebelo. (1993). “Fiscal Policy and Economic Growth: An Empirical Investigation,” Journal of Monetary Economics32, 417–458.

    Google Scholar 

  • Galor, O., and J. Zeira. (1993). “Income Distribution and Macroeconomics,” Review of Economic Studies60, 35–52.

    Google Scholar 

  • Giavazzi, F., and M. Pagano. (1988). "The Advantage of Tying One"s Hand: EMS Discipline and Central Bank Credibility,” European Economic Review32, 1055–1082.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hermes, N. (1996). “Financial reform and financial intermediation in Chile, 1983–92,” in N. Hermes and R. Lensik (eds.), Financial Development and Economic Growth. London: Routledge.

  • King, R., and R. Levine. (1993). “Finance and Growth: Schumpeter Might Be Right,” Quarterly Journal of Economics108(3), 717–737.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krusell, P., V. Quandrini, and J.V. Rios-Rull. (1996). “Are Consumption Taxes Really Better Than Income Taxes?,” Journal of Monetary Economics37(3), 475–504.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meltzer, A., and S. Richard. (1981). “A Rational Theory of the Size of Government,” Journal of Political Economy 9, 914–927.

    Google Scholar 

  • North, D., and B. Weingast. (1989). “Constitution and Commitment: The Evolution of Institutions Regarding Public Choice in Seventeenth Century England,” Journal of Economic History49, 803–832.

    Google Scholar 

  • Olson, M. (1982). The Rise and Decline of Nations. New Haven: Yale University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Perotti, R. (1993). “Political Equilibrium, Income Distribution and Growth,” Review of Economic Studies60, 755–776.

    Google Scholar 

  • Perotti, R. (1996). “Growth, Income Distribution and Democracy: What the Data Say,” Journal of Economic Growth1, 149–187.

    Google Scholar 

  • Persson, T., and G. Tabellini. (1994). “Is Inequality Harmful for Growth,” American Economic Review84, 600–621.

    Google Scholar 

  • Piketty, T. (1997). “Imperfect Capital Markets and the Persistence of Wealth Inequalities,” Review of Economic Studies, forthcoming.

  • Ravikumar, B. (1993). “Endogenous Public Policy and Multiple Equilibria,” University of Virginia DP #258, September.

  • Rogoff, K. (1985). “The Optimal Degree of Commitment to an Intermediate Monetary Target,” Quarterly Journal of Economics100(4) (November), 1169–1190.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roubini, N., and X. Sala-i-Martin. (1992). “Financial Repression and Economic Growth,” Journal of Development Economics39(1), 5–30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sachs, J., A. Tornell, and A. Velasco. (1996). “The Collapse of the Mexican Peso: What Have We Learned?.” Economic Policy22, 15–63.

    Google Scholar 

  • Saint Paul, G. (1994). “The Dynamics of Exclusion and Fiscal Conservatism,” TA Working Paper.

  • Saint Paul, G., and T. Verdier. (1992). “Historical Accidents and the Persistence of Distributional Conflicts,” Journal of the Japanese and International Economies6, 406–422.

    Google Scholar 

  • Saint Paul, G., and T Verdier. (1993). “Education, Democracy and Growth,” Journal of Development Economics 42, 399–407.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tabellini, G., and A. Alesina. (1990). “Voting on the Budget Deficit,” American Economic Review80, 37–40.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Paul, G.S., Verdier, T. Power, Distributive Conflicts, and Multiple Growth Paths. Journal of Economic Growth 2, 155–168 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009729117637

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009729117637

Navigation