Full text of Inside the Vault : Spring 2009
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Volume 13 Issue 1 Spring 2009 A n E c o n o m i c E d u c at i o n Ne w s l e t t e r f r o m t h e Fe d e r a l Re s e r v e B a n k S t. L o u i s Which Came First— Democracy or Growth? In today’s world, most rich countries are democratic, and most dictatorships are poor. In the United States, democracy goes hand in hand with political institutions that promote economic freedom. What’s Your Question? Education and Earnings Economic Snapshot Fourth Quarter Data Bulletin Board Summer School at the Fed It’s Your Paycheck Resources GDP and Pizza www.stlouisfed.org/education H owever, democratic governments, even in rich countries, often enact redistributive policies that reduce economic freedom and that are harmful to economic growth. Therefore, although most economists agree that economic freedom promotes growth, it is not clear that more political freedom (that is, more democracy or political rights) improves economic performance. What Factors Create Economic Growth? Economic growth is primarily a result of the accumulation of both physical capital and human capital. The accumulation of capital is affected by public policies, which, in turn, depend on the political institutions that are in place. In a classic study, Robert Barro explained that because citizens express their approval or disapproval when they vote, democratic institutions provide checks on government power that impose limits on politicians’ ability to amass wealth and enact unpopular policies. These constraints, he noted, help improve economic freedom. On the other hand, authoritarian governments may also improve economic freedom as a matter of policy, without the need of institutional limits such as those provided by a democracy. In a study of about 100 countries from 1960 to 1990, Barro found that at low levels of political freedom, an increase in political rights might enhance economic growth by imposing limits on government. But he noted that in countries that have already achieved medium levels of democracy, further increases in political rights might slow growth because of growing concerns about income redistribution. Barro’s conclusion that the overall effect of democracy on growth is slightly negative continues to be challenged by alternate views. One alternate view suggests that the adoption of democracy—or, more generally, of political institutions that impose checks and balances on the government—promotes investment in physical and human capital and, therefore, growth. In contrast, a second view suggests that reaching a certain level of economic development is what allows countries to adopt better institutions. continued on Page 2 T h e f e d e r a l r e s e r v e ba n k o f s t. l o u i s : Ce n t r a l t o A m e r i c a’ s e c o n o m y ™ Which Came First? continued from Page 1 Do Political Institutions Promote Growth? A study that supports the view that political institutions promote economic performance found a strong relationship between a measure of protection against government expropriation (as a measure of political institutions) and economic performance (measured by real income per capita) across a large sample of countries. The study looked at two types of colonization strategies that led to different types of political institutions. The first strategy was the creation of extractive states. In these colonies, the main goal was to transfer much of the resources of the colony to the European power. Institutions created in these colonies did not provide much protection of private property and did not impose checks against government expropriation. Examples of this were the Spanish colonies in Mexico and Latin America, and the Belgian colonization of the Congo. In the second colonization strategy, European settlers migrated in large numbers and created institutions that replicated those in their home country. These institutions emphasized the protection of private property and checks against government expropriation. Examples of these were Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States. The types 2 of institutions adopted in the early stages of either colonization strategy lasted even after the colonies became independent. Or Does Economic Growth Stimulate Democracy? The second view is that it is economic growth that stimulates democracy or the adoption of better institutions. Supporters of this view make the point that the accumulation of human capital is a more important determinant of economic growth than political institutions. Supporters of this belief studied a large set of countries in the period from 1960 to 2000, classifying them in four categories: autocracies, imperfect autocracies, imperfect democracies and stable (or perfect) democracies. In 2000, nearly all countries with high levels of education were classified as stable democracies, and nearly all stable democracies were highly educated. In contrast, nearly all countries run by dictators were poorly educated. In addition, as education levels increased, democracies were more common, though many were imperfect. In 1960, most of the poor countries in terms of growth were run by dictators. In the four decades that followed, the growth rates among poor countries varied, and some of them managed to get out of poverty while still being run by dictators. glossary Which Came First–Democracy or Growth? Dictatorship—government ruled by an absolute authority Democracy—government by all the people, direct or representative Political institutions—established governmental customs, laws or practices Economic freedom—an environment characterized by the protection of private property and the ability of individuals to engage in voluntary exchange of goods and services Redistributive policies—actions to reduce unequal distribution of income typically carried out by taxing citizens with higher incomes and transferring that wealth to citizens with lower incomes Economic growth—an increase in a country’s production of goods and services Political freedom—freedom of individuals in a society Supporters argue that this evidence suggests that it was not limits on dictators imposed by institutions that led to growth, but rather that dictators chose policies that provided security of property rights to foster investment in physical and human capital—which then led to growth. The study mentions China as an example of a dictatorship in which economic growth has been the result of favorable policy choices and not of institutional limits on the government. The Debate Continues . . . The debate about whether democracy and political institutions generate growth or whether economic development leads countries to adopt better institutions is likely to continue. In any event, fundamental features of Western economic systems, such as free markets and the importance of securing private property rights, seem to be safe bets for economies seeking economic growth. that is not obstructed by government coercion and that enables individuals to determine who their rulers shall be Physical capital—resources such as machinery and equipment used to produce goods and services Human capital— the education, skills and abilities of workers Government expropriation—the transfer of a citizen’s property to the state Real income per capita—income per person (adjusted for inflation) Extractive states—governments that depend on extracting natural resources, often by force, for sale or trade Autocracies—governments in which one person has unlimited authority, such as the power of absolute monarchs Classroom Discussion 1. What are two factors necessary for economic growth? 2. Why might you think democracy fosters economic growth? 3. Which of the two viewpoints—that democracy fosters growth or that economic growth fosters democracy—would be likely to emphasize education as a key component for a growing economy? This article was adapted from “Which Came First—Democracy or Growth?,” which was written by Ruben Hernandez-Murillo, senior economist, and Christopher J. Martinek, senior research associate, both of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, and was published in the April 2008 issue of The Regional Economist, a St. Louis Fed publication. 3 w h a t ’ s y o u r ques t io n ? Education and Earnings Q. How are investment in human capital and personal income in the United States related? Q. What is the relationship between level of education and unemployment? A. There is a strong positive correlation between investment in human capital through education and expected earnings. The benefits of education and experience really show up over the long term: A. Americans with more education are less likely to be unemployed. This is especially true in the 25-34 age range of the work force where the jobless rate can be three or four times higher for the high school dropout than the college graduate. Although a substantial difference remains in older age groups, it is not as dramatic because work experience improves employment prospects. Education Level Estimated lifetime earnings Less than 9th grade $976,350 High school dropout $1,150,698 Bachelor’s Degree $2,567,174 Master’s Degree $2,963,076 Professional Degree $5,254,193 Q. Over time, what has happened to the percentage of people in the United States who have finished college and per capita income? A. As the percentage of Americans who finish college has increased over time, per capita income has also increased. In 1950, per capita income was estimated at little more than $10,000, and the percentage of the population with college degrees was around 7 percent. In 2004, per capita income was estimated at slightly less than $35,000 and the percentage of the population with college degrees was around 28 percent. States that have a higher percentage of the population that are college graduates also have a higher per capita income. Q. In today’s economy, how does investment in physical capital and investment in human capital compare in the United States? A. Although physical capital once drove the U.S. economy, investment in human capital now takes precedence. In the early days of the country’s economic development, most work required muscle power. Today, there is a shift toward more sophisticated jobs that require more brains than brawn. Services now dominate the U.S. workplace and provide 80 percent of the nation’s jobs. Although some of the work requires only basic skills, many jobs require handling complex tasks which demands more investment in human capital. 4 Q. How does having a relatively free economic environment relate to investment in human capital and GDP per capita? A. Investment in human capital can’t achieve its full economic potential without labor market freedom. When companies and workers are free to make job decisions, scarce labor resources are channeled to their best uses, making the economy more productive and allowing investment in human capital to yield greater dividends. This can be validated by a comparison of countries through the Index of Economic Freedom. In reference to GDP per capita and years of school completed, more-free economies have a higher GDP per capita when compared to years of school completed than less-free economies. Q. What is the Index of Economic Freedom? A. The Wall Street Journal and the Heritage Foundation track levels of economic freedom using the Index of Economic Freedom. The Index ranks the world economies based on 10 categories: business freedom, fiscal freedom, monetary freedom, trade freedom, government size, investment freedom, financial freedom, property rights, labor freedom and freedom from corruption. The higher the index score, the higher the degree of economic freedom in a country. Source: 2004 Annual Report, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, pp. 7-19; www.heritage.org/research/features/ index/faq.cfm e c o n o m i c s n apsho t 1. What is real Gross Domestic Product (GDP)? Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is the market value of all final goods and services produced in an economy during a year adjusted for inflation. GDP is the most comprehensive measure available of U.S. economic activity. Quarterly changes in real (inflation-adjusted) GDP are considered the primary measure of growth in the U.S. economy. 2. What are the components of GDP? Q1-’08 Q2-’08 Growth Rate Real Gross Domestic Product 0.9% 2.8% -0.5% -3.8%* Inflation Rate Consumer Price Index 4.3% 5.0% 6.7% -9.2% Civilian Unemployment Rate 4.9% 5.4% 6.1% 6.9% *Advance estimate The components include personal consumption expenditures (consumer spending), gross private domestic investment (business investment in structures, equipment and software, and inventories), government consumption expenditures and gross investment (government spending), and net exports (exports of goods and services less imports of goods and services). 3. Fourth Quarter 2008 What is the compounded annual rate of change? The compounded annual rate of change shows what the growth rate would be over an entire year if the same simple percent change continued for four quarters or 12 months. 4. Which agency is responsible for reporting GDP? Gross Domestic Product is reported by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis. For more information, see www.bea.gov. SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics Customer Handbook, found at http://www.bea.gov/agency/pdf/BEA_Customer_ Guide.pdf Real GDP Growth Compounded annual rates of changes 8 6 4 2 0 -2 -4 2005 2006 2007 5 2008 Q3-’08 Q4-’08 b ulle t i n b o a r d little rock Activity-Based Economics: Pig. E. Bank Economics It’s Not the Dismal Science May 6, 2009 | 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis— Little Rock Branch Stephens Building | Little Rock, Ark. July 13-17, 2009 | 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pulaski Technical College Little Rock, Ark. This workshop features microeconomics, macroeconomics, globalization and technology presentations by awardwinning economic educators. 25 Cents’ Worth of History teaches Eighth District economics and history using state coins. For information about this workshop, go to http://economicsarkansas.org/calendar/. To register: • visit www.stlouisfed.org/ education/conferences, l o u i s v i l l e / m e m ph i s • call Julie Kerr at 501-324-8296 or Focus on Finance • e-mail julie.a.kerr@stls.frb.org. lit tle rock/louisville It’s Your Paycheck! Little Rock, Ark. March 11, 2009 Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis—Little Rock Branch A personal finance workshop for K-12 educators April 2–3, 2009 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis— Memphis Branch Memphis, Tenn. To register, e-mail jeannette.n.bennett@stls.frb.org. Right Start Bowling Green, Ky. March 24, 2009 Bowling Green Junior High School Evansville, Ind. April 16, 2009 Southern Indiana Career and Technical Center Learn more about It’s Your Paycheck, a new high school personal finance curriculum from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. For more information, go to www.stlouisfed.org/ education/conferences. An Institute for New and Beginning Teachers of Economics June 8-11, 2009 Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis— Louisville Branch Crowne Plaza Hotel Louisville Airport—Kentucky Expo Center Louisville, Ky. To register, visit www.econ.org/programs/rightstart.html. Focus on the Economy June 23-25, 2009 Millsaps College Jackson, Miss. To register, visit www.mscee.org and click on “Focus on the Economy”. 6 b ulle t i n b o a r d Arkansas History and the Great Depression Curriculum Workshop A one-day professional development workshop July 10, 2009 | 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Northeast Arkansas Education Cooperative Walnut Ridge, Ark. To register, e-mail jeannette.n.bennett@stls.frb.org. Kids and Money Workshop A one-day professional development workshop July 17, 2009 | 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Northeast Arkansas Education Cooperative Walnut Ridge, Ark. To register, e-mail jeannette.n.bennett@stls.frb.org. s t. l o u i s Summer School at the Fed June 8-10, 2009 Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis St. Louis, Mo. To register for this two and one-half day program on the role of government through SIUE, contact Mary Anne Pettit at 618-650-2583 or e-mail mpettit@siue.edu. To register through UMSL, contact Sharon Laux at 314-516-5249 or e-mail lauxs@umsl.edu. e i gh t h d i s t r i c t Annual Educator Conferences Fiscal Policy: What Does It Mean for the Economy and Why Does It Matter to You? Louisville, Ky. July 21, 2009 (grades 5-12) Little Rock, Ark. July 22, 2009 (grades K-12) Fayetteville, Ark. July 23, 2009 (grades K-12) Memphis, Tenn. Nov. 4, 2009 (elementary) Nov. 5, 2009 (secondary) St. Louis, Mo. Oct. 13, 2009 (grades 5-8) Oct. 14, 2009 (grades 9-12) This one-day conference will cover the role of fiscal policy in the economy. Robert Rasche, Senior Vice President of Research at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, will provide content. For more information, go to www.stlouisfed.org/ education/conferences. l i t t l e ro c k / lo u i s v i l l e /m e m ph i s Hot Topics in the News Essay Contest March 18, 2009, is the deadline for entries to the Little Rock, Louisville and Memphis contests. 7 Bank Contacts Little Rock Billy Britt 501-324-8368 Louisville David Ballard 502-568-9257 Memphis Jeannette Bennett 901-579-4104 St. Louis Mary Suiter 314-444-4662 Barb Flowers 314-444-8421 f e a t u r e d resources GDP and Pizza Economics for Life The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis offers an online course for high school students. The course defines Gross Domestic Product (GDP), explains the difference between nominal and real GDP, defines per capita GDP, explains how economists measure economic growth, and discusses monetary and fiscal policy as related to GDP. This course is designed to help students in civics, economic and social studies classes understand challenging economic content—and explain why these topics are import for citizens to understand. GDP and Pizza: Economics for Life includes: • • • • an in-class pre- and post-assessment activity, an online pre- and post-test with data reported to the teacher, two online class periods of instruction that include reading and self-checks for understanding, and video clips of an economist explaining the content. To participate in a workshop or learn more about the course, contact: Billy Britt in Little Rock at billy.j.britt@stls.frb.org, David Ballard in Louisville at david.b.ballard@stls.frb.org, Jeannette Bennett in Memphis at jeannette.n.bennett@stls.frb.org or Mary Suiter in St. Louis at mary.c.suiter@stls.frb.org. www.stlouisfed.org/education/gdp.html prsrt std U.S. POSTAGE PAID ST. LOUIS, MO PERMIT NO. 444 Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis P.O. Box 442 St. Louis, Mo. 63166-0442 Inside the Vault is written by Barb Flowers, senior economic education specialist, and Mary Suiter, manager of economic education, at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, P.O. Box 442, St. Louis, Mo., 63166. The views expressed are those of the authors and are not necessarily those of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis or the Federal Reserve System. Please direct all comments and questions about the publication to 314444-8421 or barbara.flowers@ stls.frb.org.