ECON 477 - Economic Growth

Why are some countries poor? Why are some others rich? Can poor countries be rich? If they can, then why are they still poor? If they can’t, why? These questions are perhaps the most important ones in Economics, and they are all linked through the field of economic growth. Growth miracles allow countries to move from low- to high-income over a few generations (say, South Korea), yet lack of growth leads to stagnation (say, the “lost decades” in Mexico). This course aims to answer the question “What generates growth?” by introducing the key theoretical models and empirical results that summarize our current understanding of the field. This course counts as a Group E elective. It is NOT a capstone course. It meets concurrently with ECON 478. Prerequisite(s): ECON 371 and ECON 381, each earned with a minimum of C-. Offered most years. (4 Credits)