Abstract

PULIDO, Clarimar  and  USTORGIO-MORA, José. Social policy and economic growth in six Latin American countries, 1980-2010. Rev.econ.inst. [online]. 2019, vol.21, n.40, pp.233-257. ISSN 0124-5996.  https://doi.org/10.18601/01245996.v21n40.09.

This paper analyzes the convergence hypothesis and the impact of social policy on the economic growth of the six largest countries in Latin America between 1980 and 2010. Results suggest that social public policies have positively influenced growth in these economies. Particularly, there are non-observed variables (fixed effects) that positively affect the economic growth in Venezuela and Chile; however, there are other non-observed variables that may be negatively affecting growth in Brazil and Mexico. Regarding the convergence hypothesis, results reveal that the speed of convergence diminishes as real income rises, implying that these countries might be converging to their stable states.

JEL: I25, E24, O47, O54.

Keywords : Economic growth; social policy; Latin America; convergence.

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