If Technology Has Arrived Everywhere, Why Has Income Diverged?

Diego Comin and Martí Mestieri

No 9466, CEPR Discussion Papers from Centre for Economic Policy Research

Abstract: We study the lags with which new technologies are adopted across countries, and their long-run penetration rates once they are adopted. Using data from the last two centuries, we document two new facts: there has been convergence in adoption lags between rich and poor countries, while there has been divergence in penetration rates. Using a model of adoption and growth, we show that these changes in the pattern of technology diffusion account for 80% of the Great Income Divergence between rich and poor countries since 1820.

Keywords: Technology diffusion; Transitional dynamics; Great divergence (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: E13 O14 O33 O41 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013-05
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-ict, nep-mac and nep-pbe
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (43)

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Related works:
Journal Article: If Technology Has Arrived Everywhere, Why Has Income Diverged? (2018)
Working Paper: If Technology Has Arrived Everywhere, Why has Income Diverged? (2013)
Working Paper: If Technology Has Arrived Everywhere, Why Has Income Diverged? (2013)
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