We evaluate explanations for why Germany grew so quickly in the 1950s. The recent literature has emphasized convergence, structural change and institutional shake-up while minimizing the importance of the postwar shock. We show that this shock and its consequences were more important than...

Openness vis-i-vis the world and an improved incentive system at home are the key requirements for a lasting re-acceleration of economic growth in Europe, the U.S. and indeed most parts of the world. More specifically, the policy-oriented message to be propounded in this paper is essentially...

The positive association between the service sector share of output and per capita income is one of the best-known regularities in all of growth and development economics. Yet there is less than complete agreement on the nature of that association. Here we identify two waves of service sector...

Among fast growing developing countries, India is distinctive for the role of the service sector. However, sceptics have raised doubts about both the quality and sustainability of the increase in service sector activity and its implications for economic development. Using National Accounts...

This paper analyzes international historical evidence and finds that economic growth slows down when per capita income reaches US{dollar}17,000.