1991/05/01 by Robert J. Barro · 3 citations
Economics, Econometrics and Finance · Computer Science · #Economic Growth and Productivity #Fiscal Policy and Economic Growth #Economic Growth and Development
paper · doi:10.2307/2937943
openalex publication_date 1991/05/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/30
For 98 countries in the period 1960–1985, the growth rate of real per capita GDP is positively related to initial human capital (proxied by 1960 school-enrollment rates) and negatively related to the initial (1960) level of real per capita GDP. Countries with higher human capital also have lower fertility rates and higher ratios of physical investment to GDP. Growth is inversely related to the share of government consumption in GDP, but insignificantly related to the share of public investment. Growth rates are positively related to measures of political stability and inversely related to a proxy for market distortions.