Harrod-Domar Model Essays (1056 words) - Economic Growth

Harrod-Domar Model The Harrod-Domar Model is the simplest and best-known production function used in the analysis of economic development. This model explains the relationship between the growth and unemployment in advanced capitalist societies. However, the Harrod-Domar Model is used in developing nations as an easy way of looking at the relationships between growth and capital requirements. This model does explain the differences in growth performances between countries. The model allows you to predict an estimate of growth for a nation. Which can be compared to predictions of growth for a different country. B) The "sources of growth" is a different form of the production function. This new function gives the analyst the ability to separate out the different causes of growth. The factors of this equation concern the growth rate of any variable, share of income in any input, national product, capital stock, labor, arable land & national resources, and measuring the shift in the production function resulting from greater efficiency in the case of inputs. Growth Accounting Analysis takes into account of two conclusions that are due to the variations in the way different economists carry out growth accounting. The analysis shows that the efforts to measure the sources of growth have shown that increases in productivity really account for the higher relation of growth. Also capital does not give as much to growth as assumed in early growth models. Capital does play a major role in the expansion of contemporary developing nations. An example of the analysis is in the comparison of wages. Perhaps the wages of a high school graduate is equivalent to the salary of 2 workers who have only had grade school education. Also the earnings for a college graduate maybe twice the amount of a worker of only high school education. C) Both the balanced and unbalanced growths predate much of the quantitative work on patters of development. Balanced growth agrees that countries have to develop a wide range of industries all at the same time if they are ever to prosper in attaining sustained growth. This is when the population of that nation will all have enough wealth to buy goods that they produce. While in an unbalanced growth, only one or few industries prosper, giving wealth to those only working in those areas. In a balanced growth mostly everyone will prosper from the industry. Whereas in an unbalanced growth only a selected few will achieve any gains. #2 A) Income distribution is split up into two categories, functional and size distributions of income. Both distributions of income are interrelated. Functional distribution of income shows how national income is divided among factors of production, traditionally identified as land, labor, and capital. This can be used to measure the productive contributions made by the different factors. Size distribution of income shows the amount of income of all functional kinds received by the rich, poor, & middle class individuals or families and is often read as a direct measure of welfare. B) The evidence regarding inequality and growth shows that it is necessary for economic growth but there is not enough for improving the living standards of large numbers of people in countries with low levels of GNP per capita. Sometimes governments promote growth not just to increase the welfare of their citizens but also to bigger the power and bring glory to the state and its rulers. For example when a country buys missiles and nuclear weapons, they spend large amounts of money, which do not really provide much benefit to the country's citizens. Also resources may be greatly invested in further economic growth, with important utilization increases deferred to a later date. As well, the income and consumption may amplify but only those that will benefit are those who may not need them. As the saying goes, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. C) Some important strategies for achieving growth with equity are: redistribute first, then grow; redistribution with growth; and basic human needs. Redistribute first, then grow suggests mainly to confiscate from one and assign to another. The affect that this has on income distribution is that it spreads it out to everyone. The people who have a lot will not have as much anymore and those who have none will have some now. This gives everyone an equal opportunity to grow. Redistribution with growth says for the implementation of policies that shape the pattern of development so that low income producers see an increase in earning opportunities and at the same time obtain the resources necessary to take advantage