Social Capital, Economic Growth and Quality of Government: The Causal Mechanism

2003 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bo Rothstein
2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Sarracino

In the long run economic growth does not improve people's well-being. Traditional theories – adaptation and social comparisons – explain this evidence, but they don't explain what shapes the trend of subjective well-being and its differences across countries. Recent research identified in social capital a plausible candidate to explain the trends of well-being. This dissertation adopts various econometric techniques to explore the relationship over time among social capital, economic growth and subjective well-being. The main conclusion is that social capital is a good predictor of the trend of subjective well-being, both within and across countries. Hence, policies for well-being should aim at preserving and enhancing social capital for the quality of the social environment matters.


2009 ◽  
pp. 113-139
Author(s):  
Francesco Pigliaru

- In this article I maintain that until the mid-Seventies the regions of the Italian Mezzogiorno followed a path first of divergence, then of convergence, reflecting a familiar pattern. The main characteristic in the case of the Mezzogiorno, however, is that the convergence phase led the area to a remarkably unfavorable steadystate. Further, I suggest that the disappointing results obtained in the area with numerous richly financed public policies are partly due to the poorer quality of the institutions in the Southern regions. In the second part of the article I discuss recent contributions that associate this failure of local institutions with the short supply of social capital, and that put its persistence down to mechanisms of intergenerational transmission of values and norms that change very slowly over time. In the final part of the paper I briefly discuss the role of economic policy faced with mechanisms of this nature.EconLit Classification: O120, O400, O430Keywords: Convergence, Institutions and Economic Growth, Social CapitalParole chiave: Convergenza, Istituzioni e crescita economica, Capitale sociale


2005 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 339-365 ◽  
Author(s):  
Staffan Kumlin ◽  
Bo Rothstein

Since the debate about the importance of social capital and civil society for the quality of democracy began, Scandinavia has caused problems. Observers have been bewildered by an allegedly paradoxical coexistence of a wealth of social capital and extensive welfare-state arrangements. Some theorize that large welfare states make engagement in voluntary associations unnecessary, making the production of social capital more difficult. However, empirical research shows Scandinavia to have comparatively high levels of social capital. To solve this paradox, the authors address how the causal mechanism between variation in the design of welfare-state institutions and social capital works. The empirical analysis, based on Swedish survey data, suggests that the specific design of welfare-state policies matters for the production of social capital. Contacts with universal welfare-state institutions tend to increase social trust, whereas experiences with needs-testing social programs undermine it. The policy implication is that governments, by designing welfare-state institutions, can invest in social capital.


2006 ◽  
pp. 20-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Ershov

The economic growth, which is underway in Russia, raises new questions to be addressed. How to improve the quality of growth, increasing the role of new competitive sectors and transforming them into the driving force of growth? How can progressive structural changes be implemented without hampering the rate of growth in general? What are the main external and internal risks, which may undermine positive trends of development? The author looks upon financial, monetary and foreign exchange aspects of the problem and comes up with some suggestions on how to make growth more competitive and sustainable.


2008 ◽  
pp. 120-132
Author(s):  
K. Arystanbekov

Kazakhstan’s economic policy in 1996-2007, its character and the degree of responsibility, the correlation between economic development and balance of current accounts are considered in the article. Special attention is paid to the analysis of their macroeconomic efficiency. It is concluded that in conditions of high rates of economic growth in Kazahkstan in 2000-2007 the net profits of foreign investors are 10-11% of GDP every year. The tendency of negative balance of current accounts in favor of foreign investors is also analyzed.


1998 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 305-307
Author(s):  
Afia Malik

Given the demographic realities in the developing world, it is not possible to solve the problems of poverty in these countries following the neoclassical model of economic growth. Since the majority of people are ruralites in these countries, the focus should be on rural development directly rather than on waiting for the benefits to trickle down to the rural poor. What is needed is to improve the quality of life and productivity of the small-holders or landless whose livelihood is based on natural resources which are depleting and require urgent attention. More options should be available for the rural people in their own area.


Author(s):  
Svetlana Apenko ◽  
◽  
Olga Kiriliuk ◽  
Elena Legchilina ◽  
Tatiana Tsalko ◽  
...  

The article presents the results of a study of the impact of pension reform in Russia on economic growth and quality of life in a digital economy, taking into account the experience of raising the retirement age in Europe. The aim of the study was to identify and analyze the impact of raising the retirement age on economic growth in the context of the development of digitalization in Russia and a comparative analysis with European countries. Results: the studies conducted allowed us to develop a system of indicators characterizing the impact of raising the retirement age on economic growth and the quality of life of the population in the context of digitalization. The authors found that raising the retirement age leads to a change in labor relations in Russia and Europe. The application of the proposed indicators can be used in the formation of a balanced state socio-economic policy in the field of institutional changes in the field of labor relations and raising the retirement age. The study was carried out under a grant from the RFBR № 19-010-00362 А.


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