Topic: Economic growth

Joel Mokyr, Philippe Aghion and Peter Howitt examine why technological innovation can sustain economic growth despite the disruption it creates. Mokyr considers the historical development of useful knowledge, the connection between understanding and invention, and the institutional and political conditions needed for continuing progress. Aghion develops the economics of creative destruction, connecting innovation incentives with entry, incumbent firms and competition. He discusses how theoretical models and empirical evidence inform policies intended to support productivity growth. Howitt ex

Robert Barro and Jon Hartley discuss empirical macroeconomics and the development of Barro’s research. Topics include Ricardian equivalence, the fiscal theory of the price level, government-spending multipliers, business cycles and New Keynesian modelling. The conversation also considers economic growth, political economy and the relationship between religion and economic outcomes. Barro reflects on his training, his research career and the economists he has taught, connecting personal intellectual history with debates about fiscal policy and macroeconomic evidence.