Handbook of Economic Growth

Handbook of Economic Growth
Author: Philippe Aghion
Publisher: Newnes
Total Pages: 1172
Release: 2013-12-20
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 0444535470

Volumes 2A and 2B of The Handbook of Economic Growth summarize recent advances in theoretical and empirical work while offering new perspectives on a range of growth mechanisms, from the roles played by institutions and organizations to the ways factors beyond capital accumulation and technological change can affect growth. Written by research leaders, the chapters summarize and evaluate recent advances while explaining where further research might be profitable. With analyses that are provocative and controversial because they are so directly relevant to public policy and private decision-making, these two volumes uphold the standard for excellence in applied economics set by Volumes 1A and 1B (2005). - Offers definitive theoretical and empirical scholarship about growth economics - Empowers readers to evaluate the work of other economists and to plan their own research projects - Demonstrates the value of empirical testing, with its implicit conclusion that our understanding of economic growth will help everyone make better decisions

Rulers, Religion, and Riches

Rulers, Religion, and Riches
Author: Jared Rubin
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 297
Release: 2017-02-16
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 110703681X

This book seeks to explain the political and religious factors leading to the economic reversal of fortunes between Europe and the Middle East.

The Impact of Illness on World Leaders

The Impact of Illness on World Leaders
Author: Bert E. Park, M.D.
Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press
Total Pages: 404
Release: 2016-11-11
Genre: History
ISBN: 1512805408

In The Impact of Illness on World Leaders, Bert E. Park explores the relationship between leadership and neurologic illness. Basing his study on a rigorous examination of primary and secondary source material from medicine, history, and political science, Park diagnoses illnesses which affected the thinking and actions of Anthony Eden and Adolf Hitler, among others. He discusses the historical situations in which these political leaders functioned and the effects their illnesses might have had on the decisions they made. Park argues that the impact of aging and disease on leadership abilities is an important, potentially devastating problem which has been ignored by the people in a position to deal with it. Physicians who attend men in power, supported by government officials and politicians, often disguise their patients' infirmities and keep them in office long after they are able to function effectively. In those few instances when the problem has been addressed, it has often been done by journalists or other persons not qualified to make a medical judgment about a leader's health, and they have relayed erroneous information (e.g., the myth of Hitler's syphilis). Part of the goal of The Impact of Illness on World Leaders is to correct such popular misconceptions. Park concludes his study of leadership and illness with suggestions for monitoring the health of leaders and deposing them if their health compromises their ability to lead.

Holistic Darwinism

Holistic Darwinism
Author: Peter Corning
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Total Pages: 555
Release: 2010-08-15
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0226116336

In recent years, evolutionary theorists have come to recognize that the reductionist, individualist, gene-centered approach to evolution cannot sufficiently account for the emergence of complex biological systems over time. Peter A. Corning has been at the forefront of a new generation of complexity theorists who have been working to reshape the foundations of evolutionary theory. Well known for his Synergism Hypothesis—a theory of complexity in evolution that assigns a key causal role to various forms of functional synergy—Corning puts this theory into a much broader framework in Holistic Darwinism, addressing many of the issues and concepts associated with the evolution of complex systems. Corning's paradigm embraces and integrates many related theoretical developments of recent years, from multilevel selection theory to niche construction theory, gene-culture coevolution theory, and theories of self-organization. Offering new approaches to thermodynamics, information theory, and economic analysis, Corning suggests how all of these domains can be brought firmly within what he characterizes as a post–neo-Darwinian evolutionary synthesis.

Introduction to Modern Economic Growth

Introduction to Modern Economic Growth
Author: Daron Acemoglu
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Total Pages: 1009
Release: 2008-12-15
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1400835771

From Nobel Prize–winning economist Daron Acemoglu, an incisive introduction to economic growth Introduction to Modern Economic Growth is a groundbreaking text from one of today's leading economists. Daron Acemoglu gives graduate students not only the tools to analyze growth and related macroeconomic problems, but also the broad perspective needed to apply those tools to the big-picture questions of growth and divergence. And he introduces the economic and mathematical foundations of modern growth theory and macroeconomics in a rigorous but easy to follow manner. After covering the necessary background on dynamic general equilibrium and dynamic optimization, the book presents the basic workhorse models of growth and takes students to the frontier areas of growth theory, including models of human capital, endogenous technological change, technology transfer, international trade, economic development, and political economy. The book integrates these theories with data and shows how theoretical approaches can lead to better perspectives on the fundamental causes of economic growth and the wealth of nations. Innovative and authoritative, this book is likely to shape how economic growth is taught and learned for years to come. Introduces all the foundations for understanding economic growth and dynamic macroeconomic analysis Focuses on the big-picture questions of economic growth Provides mathematical foundations Presents dynamic general equilibrium Covers models such as basic Solow, neoclassical growth, and overlapping generations, as well as models of endogenous technology and international linkages Addresses frontier research areas such as international linkages, international trade, political economy, and economic development and structural change An accompanying Student Solutions Manual containing the answers to selected exercises is available (978-0-691-14163-3/$24.95). See: https://press.princeton.edu/titles/8970.html For Professors only: To access a complete solutions manual online, email us at: [email protected]

No One Cares About Crazy People

No One Cares About Crazy People
Author: Ron Powers
Publisher: Hachette Books
Total Pages: 399
Release: 2017-03-21
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 031634110X

New York Times-bestselling author Ron Powers offers a searching, richly researched narrative of the social history of mental illness in America paired with the deeply personal story of his two sons' battles with schizophrenia. From the centuries of torture of "lunatiks" at Bedlam Asylum to the infamous eugenics era to the follies of the anti-psychiatry movement to the current landscape in which too many families struggle alone to manage afflicted love ones, Powers limns our fears and myths about mental illness and the fractured public policies that have resulted. Braided with that history is the moving story of Powers's beloved son Kevin -- spirited, endearing, and gifted -- who triumphed even while suffering from schizophrenia until finally he did not, and the story of his courageous surviving son Dean, who is also schizophrenic. A blend of history, biography, memoir, and current affairs ending with a consideration of where we might go from here, this is a thought-provoking look at a dreaded illness that has long been misunderstood. "Extraordinary and courageous . . . No doubt if everyone were to read this book, the world would change." -- New York Times Book Review

The Economics of Agricultural Development

The Economics of Agricultural Development
Author: George W. Norton
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 435
Release: 2014-06-03
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1134710291

Persistent problems with poverty, rapid population growth and malnutrition in many developing countries are among the most serious issues facing the world today. This book examines the causes, severity and effects of these problems, as well as potential solutions. The authors consider the implications of globalization of goods, services and capital for agriculture, poverty and the environment; and identify linkages in the world food system, stressing how agricultural and economic situations in poor countries affect industrialized nations and vice versa. Focusing on the role that agriculture can play in improving economic and nutritional wellbeing and how that role might be enhanced, this book is essential reading.

The Political Economy of Education

The Political Economy of Education
Author: Mark Gradstein
Publisher: MIT Press
Total Pages: 192
Release: 2004-10-22
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9780262262880

A theoretical framework for analyzing the complex relationship of education, growth, and income distribution. The dominant role played by the state in the financing, regulation, and provision of primary and secondary education reflects the widely-held belief that education is necessary for personal and societal well-being. The economic organization of education depends on political as well as market mechanisms to resolve issues that arise because of contrasting views on such matters as income inequality, social mobility, and diversity. This book provides the theoretical framework necessary for understanding the political economy of education—the complex relationship of education, economic growth, and income distribution—and for formulating effective policies to improve the financing and provision of education. The relatively simple models developed illustrate the use of analytical tools for understanding central policy issues. After offering a historical overview of the development of public education and a review of current econometric evidence on education, growth, and income distribution, the authors lay the theoretical groundwork for the main body of analysis. First they develop a basic static model of how political decisions determine education spending; then they extend this model dynamically. Applying this framework to a comparison of education financing under different regimes, the authors explore fiscal decentralization; individual choice between public and private schooling, including the use of education vouchers to combine public financing of education with private provision; and the social dimension of education—its role in state-building, the traditional "melting pot" that promotes cohesion in a culturally diverse society.

Economics of Agricultural Development

Economics of Agricultural Development
Author: George W. Norton
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 477
Release: 2014-09-25
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1135124078

Economics of Agricultural Development examines the causes, severity, and effects of poverty, population growth, and malnutrition in developing countries. It discusses potential solutions to these problems, progress made in many countries in recent years, and the implications of globalization for agriculture, poverty, and the environment. Topics covered in the book include: • Means for utilizing agricultural surpluses to further overall economic development • The sustainability of the natural resource environment • Gender issues in relation to agriculture and resource use • The contribution of agricultural technologies • The importance of agricultural and macroeconomic policies as related to development and trade, and the successes and failures of such policies • Actions to encourage more rapid agricultural and economic development The globalization of trade in goods, services, and capital has been fundamental to changes being experienced in the agricultural and rural sectors of developing countries. It has major implications for the fight against poverty and food insecurity and for environmental sustainability. Recently, agriculture has returned to a position of center stage in the development dialog as food price volatility has increased along with water scarcity, and concerns grow over the effects of climate change on food supply and food security. This new edition of the essential textbook in the field builds on the 2010 edition and reflects the following developments: • Growth in foreign demand for land and other natural resources • Significant progress in agricultural and economic development in some low-income countries while others are being left behind • Continued growth in demand for higher-valued farm products This book is essential reading for undergraduate students seeking to understand the economics of agricultural development and the world food system, including environmental and human consequences, international trade, and capital flows.