The Evolution of Entrepreneurial Spirit and the Process of Development

Oded Galor and Stelios Michalopoulos

No 6022, CEPR Discussion Papers from C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers

Abstract: This research suggests that the evolution of entrepreneurial spirit played a significant role in the process of economic development and the evolution of inequality within and across societies. The study argues that entrepreneurial spirit evolved non-monotonically in the course of human history. In early stages of development, the rise in income generated an evolutionary advantage to entrepreneurial, growth promoting traits and their increased representation accelerated the pace of technological advancements and the process of economic development. Natural selection therefore had magnified growth promoting activities in relatively wealthier economies as well as within the upper segments of societies, enlarging the income gap within as well as across societies. In mature stages of development, however, non-entrepreneurial individuals gained an evolutionary advantage, diminishing the growth potential of advanced economies and contributing to the convergence of the intermediate level economies to the advanced ones.

Keywords: Evolution; Growth; Natural selection; Risk aversion; Technological progress (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J11 J13 O11 O14 O33 O40 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2006-12
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cse, nep-dev, nep-ent, nep-evo, nep-hpe, nep-ino and nep-upt
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (18)

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Working Paper: The Evolution of Entrepreneurial Spirit and the Process of Development (2009)
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