This paper provides an empirical study of the determinants of voting equipment choice in the United States. We document that, in contrast to widespread belief, voting machines of older types, such as lever and punchcard systems, are not used in counties with lower income – and newer machines,...

This paper reconciles the recent vs. very long-run evidence on scale effects in endogenous growth models by extending Howitt's (1999) model to include a subsistence constraint in consumption. Scale effects will be present only when this constraint is binding.

This paper presents a simple model of growth over the very long run that distinguishes between scientific knowledge and technology. Making this distinction highlights the importance of the scientific revolution to the emergence of modern sustained economic growth.

The growth experiences of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Korea over the last several decades have been polar opposites. Despite this divergence in economic outcomes, the two countries shared some initial similarities including very low income, high population growth rates, harsh...

The literature on income inequality has provided various explanations as to how income inequality can affect growth, with the emphasis on ideas such as investments in human capital, issues of occupational choice, or the redistributive policies of governments. Inequality not only has a direct...

This two-volume set provides fundamental analyses of the relations between cultural variables and economic performance. It encompasses indispensable contributions by economists and other influential social scientists in this growing interdisciplinary area. The classic and more recent articles in...