Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0
Author-Name: Szirmai, Adam
Author-Email: szirmai@merit.unu.edu
Author-Workplace-Name: UNU-MERIT / MGSOG, Maastricht University
Title: Proximate, intermediate and ultimate causality: Theories and experiences of
	 growth and development 
Abstract: For a better understanding of development, we are interested in why in
	 the long run some countries or societies forge ahead, while others
	 stagnate or fall behind. We are especially interested in the conditions
	 under which growth and catch- up can be realised in developing
	 countries. In section 1 of this paper, we develop a framework of
	 proximate, intermediate and ultimate sources of growth and development
	 which serves to structure the analysis and measurement of economic
	 development. Sections 2 to 6 offer a review of classical and modern
	 theories of development and stagnation, in the context of the framework
	 of proximate and ultimate causality developed in section 1. Special
	 attention is paid to the interactions between institutions and growth in
	 different theoretical traditions. Section 7 presents empirical time
	 series on long-run economic trends in a sample of 31 developing
	 countries representing 80 percent of the population of the developing
	 world. These series focus on proximate causality and on socio-economic
	 outcomes and highlight some of the key issues discussed in the
	 theoretical overview in sections 2-6.
Classification-JEL: O10, O43, N10
Keywords: Theories of Economic Development, Economic Growth, Proximate Causality,
	 Intermediate Causality, Ultimate Causality 
Series: UNU-MERIT Working Papers
Creation-Date: 2012
Number: 032
File-URL: http://www.merit.unu.edu/publications/wppdf/2012/wp2012-032.pdf
File-Format: application/pdf
File-Size: 275 Kb
Handle: RePEc:unm:unumer:2012032