Convergence clubs in cross-country life expectancy dynamics

Arbeitspapier

I model life expectancy in terms of physical and human capital and technology, the fundamental economic variables described by economic growth theories. For concreteness, the Solow model and a convergence club growth model by Howitt and Mayer (2001) are used as examples. I discuss how a multiple convergence club structure can be used to define states of development and show that it must be reflected in the life expectancy dynamics. I then show by visual examination and by using mis-specification tests on levels and on convergence properties that the empirical cross-country distribution of life expectancy for the period 1960-97 is best described using a convergence club structure. This gives strong empirical evidence that only growth theories involving convergence clubs can explain the process of development.

Object Details

• ISBN: 9291900915
• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: WIDER Discussion Paper ; No. 2001/134

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Health: General ; Demographic Trends, Macroeconomic Effects, and Forecasts ; Economic History: Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics; Industrial Structure; Growth; Fluctuations: General, International, or Comparative ; Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration ; Comparative Studies of Countries
• Subject: convergence clubs ; life expectancy ; economic growth ; twin-peaked distribution ; health ; Sterblichkeit ; Theorie

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Mayer-Foulkes, David
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): The United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER)
• (where): Helsinki
• (when): 2001

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/52979
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:45 AM CET