Cumulative Causation

William Jackson

A chapter in International Encyclopedia of Human Geography, 2nd edn, 2020, pp 131-134 from ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics

Abstract: Cumulative causation arises when a process is self-reinforcing and grows ever stronger, so that it does not equilibrate. It will continue indefinitely unless it is checked by outside intervention or leads to a crisis and systemic breakdown. Ideas of cumulative causation have numerous applications in economics and other social sciences, investigated by authors such as Nicholas Kaldor, Gunnar Myrdal and Albert Hirschman. In human geography, cumulative processes have particular relevance for inequalities between rich and poor regions, implying that without intervention the gaps will widen. This article discusses the nature of cumulative causation, examines its general features, and assesses its geographical consequences at national and global levels.

Keywords: increasing returns; vicious and virtuous circles; disequilibrium; Matthew effect; unequal development; regional policies (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: B41 B50 O10 R11 R58 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:zbw:eschap:281119

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