Income inequality and its relationship to long-term GDP per capita growth has been researched for decades since the development of the Kuznet’s Curve. Theoretical and empirical research has shown mixed results including positive, negative, non-existent, or statistically insignificant relationships. Empirical research on income inequality and economic growth in the United States has also shown mixed results. In addition to using existing data, this paper uses originally-constructed Gini Coefficients from 2005 to 2009. A statistically significant negative correlation between income inequality, and both short-term growth and long-term growth is found in the analysis of this data. Finally, this paper attempts to justify a causal relationship between income inequality and long-term growth.

As a culturally distinctive region, Asia was chosen as the sample for this study. This empirical study investigated what the major trends of democratisation were in Asia between 1981 and 2005: why some countries became democratic while other countries failed to follow suit during that period. The main research hypothesis was: “That is it was mainly economic development that drove democratisation in Asia between 1981 and 2005”. Although some studies have studied the impact of economic development on democratisation in Asia, their findings have been inconclusive and focuses sometimes different. [To investigate the research hypothesis, 24 Asian countries were selected…measurement tools used etc…] For this research work, statistical and case study methods were applied. The data used in the analyses were collected from established data sources e.g. Freedom House (Freedom in the World, n.d.) and United Nations Statistics Division (UN Stat, n.d.). Repeated Measures in Linear Mixed Modeling (LMM) were used to analyse the quantitative data. Three case studies supplemented the findings of statistical analyses. Historical information and institutional and legal facts were also used in the case studies. This study found that increases in the level of economic development along with its equitable distribution in society and positive roles of political actors increase the level of democratisation in Asia. Some pro-democratic political and social institutions, such as tradition of parliamentarianism, and international organisations, for example Bretton wood institutions, also led to democratisation. A low extent of national political divide was found to result in a considerably high level of democratisation in a country where confrontation between major political forces is the main feature of politics. This study also found that a partial democracy with Asian values, economic legitimacy, a lack of corruption and a “systematic control” over opposition politicians can survive, and is not prone to higher level of democratisation. The Taiwan case revealed that, amongst other factors, the role of political actors and economic equity along with economic development is also vital for democratisation. The Singapore case explained how a “hybrid regime” in a rich country outsmarts democratisation. The study of Bangladesh provides an idea about other elements, e.g. lower level of political confrontation, that push for higher levels of democratisation.

nÃo hà / This paper aims to examine the fiscal management of Brazil States Governments, attending to the requirements of the Fiscal Responsibility's Law, in order to identify the extent to which such management results in economic growth. The study's specific objectives were: (1) to compare the results of the fiscal governments states with the Fiscal Responsability's Law's requirements, (2) to analyze the results' impacts of fiscal indicators government, especially regarding to the primary outcome upon the states rate of economic growth, and finally, (3) to provide information to the management of the State Governments for decision making, respecting the economic growth. Based on the descriptive analysis, comparing the indicators results with their limits, the states reached a satisfactory fiscal performance, excepting the excessive primary results. Finally, we can say that the results of this study, interest mainly, to the state governments, because it examines the case, correlating it with the existing theory, others states governments in Brazil, as a tool for decision making and the academy, because it is a case study in an area of great national impact and can be replicated. / A presente dissertaÃÃo de mestrado consiste na anÃlise da evoluÃÃo na gestÃo orÃamentÃria e fiscal dos Estados brasileiros e Distrito Federal no perÃodo de 2001 a 2008, no atendimento aos indicadores fiscais determinados pela LRF e ResoluÃÃes do Senado Federal, com o objetivo de identificar atà que ponto essa gestÃo contribuiu para o crescimento econÃmico dos estados brasileiros e do Distrito Federal. Os objetivos especÃficos deste trabalho consistiram em: (1) confrontar os resultados fiscais dos Governos Estaduais e do Distrito Federal com os limites exigidos pela LRF; (2) analisar os impactos dos resultados dos indicadores fiscais dos Governos Estaduais e do Distrito Federal sobre o PIB per capita; e, finalmente, (3) subsidiar os Governos Estaduais e do Distrito Federal, com informaÃÃes que possam contribuir para a tomada de decisÃo na gestÃo dos recursos e das contas pÃblicas visando a um maior crescimento econÃmico. Com base na anÃlise descritiva, comparando os resultados dos indicadores com os seus limites exigidos, de uma maneira geral os Estados e o Distrito Federal alcanÃaram um desempenho fiscal satisfatÃrio, com uma ressalva para o aspecto da prÃtica dos excessivos resultados primÃrios observados. Por fim, podemos afirmar que os resultados obtidos neste trabalho serÃo Ãteis, principalmente, aos prÃprios governos estaduais, pois servem de instrumento de avaliaÃÃo e auxiliarà na tomada de decisÃo para uma melhor gestÃo das contas pÃblicas e à academia por se tratar de um estudo de caso considerando um assunto de grande complexidade para o cenÃrio nacional.

The objective of this thesis is to find out what factors have been the main sources of economic growth in China in 2003 and 2010. It also aims to find out whether the Solow model can be used to explain growth in China, if factors of growth are the same in rich and poor regions, whether the factors are the same in 2003 and 2010 and if the results are in line with previous research. The theoretical framework is the Solow model. Empirical tests are performed using econometrics, and therefore this thesis has a quantitative approach. Factors used are growth in GDP per capita which is tested against investments, household savings, the level of GDP per capita, population growth, healthcare and education. The results show that the Solow model can explain economic growth in China. Investments, the level of GDP per capita and population growth are the factors most significant to growth. In poor regions, both investments and population growth are more significant than in rich regions, whereas healthcare is more significant in rich regions. Investments and population growth also have a smaller impact in 2010 than 2003. Healthcare is more significant in 2010 and than 2003, and education is only significant in 2010. Previous research shows a wide range of results, and the results of investments and population growth are consistent with those.

This study is based on data regarding the social, economic, and demographic characteristics of 130 countries, and uses fixed effects estimation for the model analysis. It demonstrates that tourism development represents a complex process, which requires the implication of a multitude of stakeholders. Macroeconomic factors, such as GDP per capita growth and economic openness, are having a positive impact because they benefit private ownership and motivate people to open tourism-related businesses. Overall, higher carbon dioxide emissions and worse safety are having a negative effect over tourism development. Human development factors, such as education, are generally beneficial to the long-term tourism growth because they serve as positive externalities. Clustering the initial dataset based on various economic, demographic and social factors brought several new conclusions. Particularly, GDP per capita growth is not an important tourism development factor among developed countries, whereas the dummy variable for the year 2010 is a substantial one. Education and economic freedom are particularly important regressors for post-socialist states. The former is also crucial among African countries and in the Latin American region, where safety has also an essential impact over tourism development. Finally, tourism in small states would benefit the most from lower emissions,whereas in big states the best strategy for the policymaker would be to increase safety measures.

Det finns stora skillnader i nivån av BNP per capita mellan länder som inte går att förklara med nuvarande teorier om konvergens, det vill säga att fattiga länder kommer att komma ifatt rika länder på lång sikt. I stället verkar skillnaderna i länders inkomstnivå bestå. Denna studie syftar till att undersöka om, och i så fall i vilken utsträckning, en del av skillnaden mellan BNP per capita i olika länder kan förklaras genom demokrati. Studien utgår huvudsakligen från två teorier, endogen tillväxtteori och moderniseringsteori. Som metod kommer multipel regressionsanalys av paneldata att användas med samtliga världens länder mellan 2010 och 2019. Sambandet söks för hela populationen men också uppdelat på världsdel, inkomstnivå och typ av regim. Studien visar att det finns ett positivt samband mellan demokrati och BNP per capita sett till hela populationen men i olika hög grad i urval baserat på världsdel, inkomstnivå och demokratiindex. Endast för gruppen höginkomstländer var sambandet negativt, men när auktoritära höginkomstländer uteslöts fanns ett positivt samband även för den gruppen. / There are big differences in the level of GDP per capita between countries, that cannot be explained by differences in the current capital stock levels or workforce according to theories on convergence. This study aims to examine if, and to what extent, a part of the difference in GDP can be explained by democracy. The study takes its theoretical frame of reference from endogenous growth theory and modernization theory. The method used is multiple regression analysis of panel data with all countries between 2010 and 2019. The regressions analysis is performed on the whole population as well as divided based on continents, income groups and type of regime. The study shows that there is a positive correlation between democracy and GDP per capita, but to different extents in the different samples. Only for high income countries where there a negative correlation, but that turned positive when authoritarian high-income countries were excluded from the sample.

Water quality is an essential component of vibrant societies and ecosystems. For decades, researchers, managers, and policymakers around the world have struggled to accelerate societal progress while preserving and enhancing water quality and human health. This thesis consists of two studies that I hope will contribute to better understanding, policy, and management. In the first study, I evaluated spatial and temporal patterns in global water quality and their relationship to gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, as a metric of socioeconomic development status. Using global water quality datasets containing over 2.7 million observations, I tested the Environmental Kuznet Curve (EKC) hypothesis, which predicts that environmental degradation is highest at intermediate levels of socioeconomic development. I found that 46% of pollutants persisted at elevated concentrations despite GDP per capita. Because of this, high income countries experience a false sense of water security as water regulation violations are common on a global scale. In the second study, I measured waterborne pathogens in Guayaquil, the largest city in Ecuador. With a population of over 3 million and distinct hydrology from monsoonal rains and estuarine flooding, the Guayaquil metropolitan area faces drinking water and sanitation challenges similar to much of the developing world. I found that 100% of the samples we collected had unsafe total coliform counts. Water pollution is widespread and is a result of careless action. Moving forward, chronic pollution can be prevented with proper legislation that holds governments, companies, and individuals accountable.

<p>Globally, injury is a major public health problem. The extent of the problem varies considerably by demographic subgroups, regions and national income. The overall objective of this thesis is to examine the relationship between injury mortality and economic development, and to discuss its role in the changing patterns of mortality as described in health transition theory.</p><p>By cross-sectional analysis between cause-specific injury-related mortality and income per capita, studies included in this thesis indicated that while unintentional injury mortality (UIM) and homicide rates correlated negatively with GNP per capita for total populations with varying patterns for age-specific mortality, suicide rates increased slightly by nations’ income per capita, especially among women. In age- and cause-specific injury mortality differentials between low-income, middle-income and high-income countries, ageing and injury interplay mutually with regard to health transition; declining rates in child UIM by income level contributes to the ageing process, while increasing UIM among the elderly, in combination with ageing populations boosts the absolute number of injury deaths in this segment.</p><p>Between the income-based country groups, both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses show that injury mortality for all three major causes (i.e. unintentional injury, suicide and homicide) first increase and then decrease with rising income per capita, following an inverted U-shaped curve.</p><p>These results illustrate that injury is not a homogeneous public health phenomenon from a health transition perspective. While child unintentional mortality clearly agrees with ‘diseases of poverty’, unintentional injury in the elderly agrees with ‘diseases of affluence’. Patterns for homicide and suicide are more complex and uncertain. Generally, the strength and direction of injury mortality by economic development vary considerably by age, sex and type of injury.</p><p>Further research on causations, mechanisms, broader indicators and data quality, as well as theoretical developments on health transition taking new findings and parallel frameworks into account, is needed to fully understand the complex relationship between economic development and injury mortality.</p>

1999年澳門回歸中國大陸後，博弈產業成為澳門經濟發展的龍頭。近十年來，伴隨著澳門人均GDP上升、博弈產業的豐厚利潤、政府稅收逐年提升等經濟急速發展的現象，使得澳門模式成為東亞國家競相模仿的對象，而博弈產業是否造成地方經濟產業單一化，或是帶動其他產業齊頭式發展，也是各界爭論的議題。特別在澳門與中國簽訂《內地與澳門關於建立更緊密經貿關係的安排》(CEPA)後，由於開放內地遊客「自由行」政策，使得博弈產業錦上添花。為了清楚瞭解博弈產業對澳門經濟發展到底造成何種影響，本文主要研究目的有以下兩點：一為探討博弈產業是否對澳門人均GDP是否造成影響，二為比較在「自由行」政策實施前後，博弈產業對澳門經濟的影響。 根據實證結果顯示，博彩消費、人口、公共支出、CEPA的簽訂，皆與澳門人均GDP呈現正向關係，證明了博弈產業的確影響澳門經濟發展甚大。但研究結果也顯示，博弈產業在「自由行」實施後，對澳門經濟影響力反而下降，因此本研究推論，在「自由行」實施前，澳門經濟大部分靠博彩業支撐，其他產業積弱不振；「自由行」實施後，其他產業得到發展機會，增長速度超越博彩業發展的速度，才會造成本研究實證結果。 總的來說，博彩業在澳門與中國簽訂CEPA後，反而減弱其影響力，表示在「自由行」實施後，其他產業並沒有隨著博彩業的壯大而消失，反而跟著博彩業一同成長，澳門產業結構並無朝向單一化，反而更加多元。帶動其他行業發展，有利建設先進、多元化的綜合城市。 / The gambling industry has become the leading industry in Macau since Macau return to China in 1999. This decade, accompanying with the rise of Macau’s GDP per capita, the huge profits the gambling industry, such as the phenomenon of rapid economic growth, making “Macau Pattern” become a model which East Asian countries compete to imitate. It is a controversial issue that if the gambling industry made the local industry more singlize or led other industry develop. Especially after Macao and China signed the "Mainland and Macao Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement" (CEPA), the opening up of the Mainland visitors as a result of "Free Trip" policy, helping the gambling industry develop rapidly. In order to clearly understand the game industry how to impact Macao's economic development, the purposes are to investigate the relationship between gambling industry and economic development of Macau. The empirical result shows: gambling consumption, population, public expenditure and CEPA signing have significant positive effects on economic development in Macau, Proving that the impact of the game industry is indeed a great economic development of Macau. The result also shows that after the signing of CEPA, gambling industry has fewer impact on economic development in Macau. Therefore, we infer that all industries except gambling industry were weak before “Free Trip”, and other industry got chance to develop after “Free Trip”. To sum up, the gambling industry is the main industry that affects the economic development in Macau. After “Free Trip”, other industries didn’t disappear or decline, all of them keep developing with gambling industry.

The aim of the submitted thesis "Nominal and Real Convergence of the Czech Republic to EU (selected issues)" is to analyze nominal and real convergence of the Czech Republic to EU member countries from macroeconomic point of view, by using comparison with other transition economies. It presents and discusses theoretical issues relating to convergent process. The thesis deals with analysis of convergence using these indicators: GDP per capita in purchasing power parities, comparative price level, Maastricht criteria and some other indicators.