The Economic Surplus: Theory, Measurement, Applications

by Anders Danielson

Overview

This work provides a consistent and empirically meaningful definition of surplus and suggests an analytical framework for studying economic growth and stagnation using that concept. The book also presents a case study of the role of surplus in economic growth. In the first part of the work, a method is developed emphasizing the links to classical economic theory and the logical flaws of the earlier works. The second part examines the role of surplus in one country, and tests the classical hypotheses about growth in the long run and in a cross-section of countries.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780275947651
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	05/25/1994
Pages:	168
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.44(d)
Lexile:	1460L (what's this?)

About the Author

ANDERS DANIELSON is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Economics, University of Lund, Sweden. Dr. Danielson has published The Political Economy of Development Finance (1993).

Table of Contents

Introduction
Surplus and Economic Development: An Introduction
Theory and Measurement
The Role of Surplus in Classical Political Economy
Making Surplus Visible: A National Accounts Approach
Accumulation and the Agricultural Surplus
An Application: Jamaica under Manley
Size and Distribution of the Surplus
Mechanisms of Stagnation
The Role of Interest Groups
Concluding Observations
Is Surplus Obsolete?
References
Index

Editorial Reviews

Danielson (economics, U. of Lund, Sweden) deals with the relation between surplus and economic growth in economic doctrines and the issue of constructing a meaningful definition of surplus, and reviews theories in classical political economy, particularly the contributions of the Physiocratic school. Danielson applies principles discussed to a case study of Jamaica, focusing on the period 1972-1980 and asking whether the surplus approach can aid in the understanding of the causes of recession. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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