The structuralist revenge: economic complexity as an important dimension to evaluate growth and development

Vol. 38 No. 2 (2018)

Apr-Jun / 2018
Published February 26, 2020
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PDF-English

How to Cite

Gala, Paulo, Igor Rocha, and Guilherme Magacho. 2018. “The Structuralist Revenge: Economic Complexity As an Important Dimension to Evaluate Growth and Development”. Brazilian Journal of Political Economy 38 (2):219-36. https://doi.org/10.1590/0101-31572018v38n02a01.
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The structuralist revenge: economic complexity as an important dimension to evaluate growth and development

Paulo Gala
Professor at the São Paulo School of Economics, Fundação Getúlio Vargas (EESP/FGV),
Igor Rocha
Research Associate at the Centre for New Developmentism (CND), Brazil
Guilherme Magacho
Professor at FACAMP, Brazil
Brazilian Journal of Political Economy, Vol. 38 No. 2 (2018), Apr-Jun / 2018, Pages 219-236

Abstract

This paper brings elements from the economic complexity literature to the discussions of the structuralist tradition on the central role of manufacturing and productive sophistication to economic growth. Using data provided by the Atlas of Economic Complexity this study sought to verify if countries’ complexity is important to explain convergence and divergence among poor and rich countries and, if so, which are the countries that will be able to reduce the income gap compared to developed countries. The econometric analysis revealed that exports and production complexity is significant to explain convergence and divergence among countries. 

JEL Classification: B2; B5; B23; O1; O14.


Keywords: Complexity core-periphery economic development international trade ECLAC structuralism

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