Brian Easton: Accelerating The Growth Rate?

There is a constant theme from the economic commentariat that New Zealand needs to lift its economic growth rate, coupled with policies which they are certain will attain that objective. Their prescriptions are usually characterised by two features. First, they tend to be in their advocate’s self-interest. Second, they are unbacked by any systematic empirical evidence using, instead selective anecdote. Well, yes; there is always an example to confirm one’s prejudice. But rarely will it stand up in a court of science. (The conversation is not helped by those who cannot discriminate between productivity growth is slowing down and productivity is falling.)

My research on economic growth has been driven by curiosity rather than seeking policy conclusions. It goes back to almost the beginning of modern growth economics in 1960 when we began having the data and the theories it generated.