Introduction to Economic Growth

This textbook is designed to introduce undergraduate economics and business students to the fundamentals of economic growth. It requires mathematical background, but not more, the editors assure, than first-year calculus. Most of the math required is also introduced in chapter two on the Solow model. The authors position themselves oftentimes as defenders of economic growth against Malthusian misconceptions. They consider neoclassical growth models and their empirical application, intellectual property, the way that different goods stimulate growth, creative destruction and the economics of Schumpterian growth, simple models of growth including steady state analysis, alternative theories of endogenous growth, natural resources, and long-term economic performance. Almost every chapter is highly structured, utilizes mathematical formulae and graphics, and contains both a summary and section of exercises. This third edition has up-to-date data, shifting the most recent information from 1997 to 2008, and new chapters on population growth. There are three appendices of math review, bibliographic suggestions, and "the data of economic growth." The authors are American economics professors. Annotation c2013 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)