What is economic growth? Economic growth is defined as “increases in per capita real gross domestic product measured by its rate of change per year” (Miller, R.) It is a term “associated with economic progress and advancement” (5 Factors that Affect the Economic Growth of a Country.). Economic growth is the percentage of gross national product …show more content…
First, economic growth is affected by the rate of saving. There is a quote that states, “to have more consumption in the future, you have to consume less today and save the difference between your income and your consumption” (Miller, R.). So saving is important as an increased saving leads to an increased consumption. Without saving, there also wouldn’t be any investments in economics. And investments in businesses, technologies, and education are huge growth factors.
Second, economic growth is affected by the growth in technology. As technology develops and advances, there is an increase in the amount of productivity. So the greater the technology advancements, the more labor will be able to be accomplished. The new growth theory states, “when the rewards are greater, more technological advances will occur” (Miller, R.). There are various aspects of technological growth too. These include factors like research and development, and innovation and knowledge. Technological advancements are one area where investments become important, as “new technologies have tended to be embodied in new types of machines” (Gould, D. and Ruffin, …show more content…
Late economist Julian Simon stated, “every time our system allows in one more immigrant, on average, the economic welfare of American citizens goes up…Additional immigrants, both the legal and illegal, raise the standard of living of U.S. natives and have little or no negative impact on any occupational or income class.” Immigration is a key factor in economic growth simply because more the people there are, the larger the labor force becomes. It also relates back to technology advances in that “population growth drives technological progress” (Miller, R.). The more people there are, the more ideas and creativity there is. In other words “the larger the potential market, the greater the incentive to become ingenious” (Miller, R.). So immigrants are beneficial since they “create jobs through their purchases and by starting new businesses” (Miller, R.). Their “earning and spending simply enhance the economy” (Miller,