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Endogenous Growth Theory for natural scientists

Abstract

Increased state funding in all sectors of research is now being advocated in the name of a new economic theory called Endogenous Growth Theory (EGT). Here, Terence Kealey and Aram Rudenski (Cambridge University, UK) argue that this new model of scientific funding, devised by Stanford economist Paul Romer in 1990, is inherently flawed--as was the model before it--and will not lead to economic prosperity as governments hope.

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Figure 1: USA GDP per capita and federal expenditure based on science.
Figure 2: GDP and relative citation rates.
Figure 3: GDPs percapita USA, Canada and Switzerland.

References

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Acknowledgements

The views expressed here are strictly our own, yet we thank D. Edgerton, H. Kaminga, F. Kelly, D. Klein, T. Lee and C. Rowatt for discussions on the economics, philosophy and mathematics of science and its funding. T.K. thanks F. Miller, J. Paul and E. Paul for their hospitality.

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Kealey, T., Rudenski, A. Endogenous Growth Theory for natural scientists. Nat Med 4, 995–999 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1038/1982

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