Growing differently? Financial cycles, austerity, and competitiveness in growth models since the Global Financial Crisis
Year: 2021
Type: article
Abstract: The paper contributes to the recent growth models debate through a cross-country analysis of growth drivers before and after the 2008 Global Financial Crisis (GFC). It argues that the widely used dichotomy of export-led versus (debt-financed) consumption-led growth has lost its usefulness since the GFC. Specifically, identifying growth models through growth contributions can give misleading results when the drivers of economic growth change. The paper contends that Comparative Political Economy (CPE) has neglected the unstable nature of financial growth drivers, effectively ignores fiscal policy, and overemphasizes price competitiveness as a growth driver. It shows empirically that, first, debt-financed growth is cyclical and financial booms come with busts and debt overhang; second, post-GFC growth dynamics are strongly shaped by the fiscal policy reaction; third, price competitiveness through wage deflation has played a negligible role in driving growth. We conclude that CPE needs to broaden its analysis of growth drivers in order to understand how the GFC transformed growth models.
Authors: Karsten Kohler, Engelbert Stockhammer
Institution: King's College London
Language: English
Topic: Economic Theory and Policy
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Funder: King's College London
OpenAlex ID: W3009766907