In: Steven Yamarik and Chelsea Redmon, 2017. "Economic Freedom and Corruption: New Cross-Country Panel Data Evidence," Journal of Private Enterprise, vol. 32(Summer 20), pages 17-44.
This paper presents state‐by‐state capital stock and gross investment estimates for 1990–2007. I follow the methodology of Garofalo and Yamarik (The Review of Economics and Statistics, 84, 2002, 316–23) and apportion the national capital stock to the individual states using one‐digit NAICS income data. I then test the soundness of the data by estimating a Cobb–Douglas production function and a Solow growth model using a variety of panel data estimators. Under both models, I obtain estimates of the output elasticity for capital that are plausible and close to the observed national income share of one‐third. (JEL O47, O51, R11)
The growth implications of a nonlinear tax structure are investigated. The interest here is on the distortionary not the redistributive effects of taxation on economic growth. The study finds two results. First, the inclusion of a nonlinear tax structure into an Ak growth model introduces the convergence behavior of the neoclassical growth model while retaining the steady‐state growth properties of the Ak model. Second, a tax structure that is more progressive through time will lower the transitional growth rate and raise the speed of convergence. Therefore, it is suggested that the tax structure may be another source of observed differences in per capita growth rates.
AbstractIn this paper, we estimate the individual effects of natural openness and trade policy on air pollution. Natural openness is the component of the trade share (imports and exports as a percentage of GDP) attributable to population, geography and factor endowment differences. We find that natural openness reduces air pollution, while trade policy has a limited impact. The implication is that 'natural' geographic and endowment differences play a more important role than deliberate trade policy decisions in explaining the trade and environment link.
AbstractThis paper presents updated estimates for state‐level private capital and investment for 1950–2015. We improve upon the procedure of Garofalo and Yamarik (2002) and Yamarik (2013) using quantity measures to apportion the mining capital stock and a geometric pattern of depreciation to derive investment data. We provide a brief overview of our new estimates, discuss their reliability, and present the website where the data are posted and updated annually.