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Why Don't Remittances Appear to Affect Growth?

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  • Michael A. Clemens
  • David McKenzie
Abstract
While measured remittances by migrant workers have recently soared, macroeconomic studies have difficulty detecting their effect on economic growth. We propose three new explanations for this puzzle. First, a large majority of the recent rise in measured remittances may be illusory – arising from changes in measurement. Second, cross‐country regressions may lack power to detect such growth effects. Third, remittances rise primarily with rising emigration, whose opportunity cost to GDP creates endogeneity bias. Migration and remittances clearly have first‐order effects on poverty, migrant households’ welfare and global GDP but detecting the effect of remittances on economic growth faces important challenges.

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  • Michael A. Clemens & David McKenzie, 2018. "Why Don't Remittances Appear to Affect Growth?," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 128(612), pages 179-209, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:econjl:v:128:y:2018:i:612:p:f179-f209
    DOI: 10.1111/ecoj.12463
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    As found by EconAcademics.org, the blog aggregator for Economics research:
    1. Les migrants contribuent-il à la croissance de leur pays d’origine en y envoyant de l'argent ?
      by ? in D'un champ l'autre on 2014-06-09 23:02:00

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    1. Anca Mehedintu & Georgeta Soava & Mihaela Sterpu, 2019. "The Effect of Remittances on Poverty in the Emerging Countries of the European Union," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-14, June.
    2. Taiwo, Kayode, 2020. "Do remittances spur economic growth in Africa?," MPRA Paper 121947, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2021.
    3. Binhan Elif, Yilmaz, 2018. "Remittances, and Human Development in Central Asia," MPRA Paper 106580, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2018.
    4. Ait Benhamou, Zouhair & Cassin, Lesly, 2021. "The impact of remittances on savings, capital and economic growth in small emerging countries," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 789-803.
    5. Anupam Das & Murshed Chowdhury, 2019. "Macroeconomic impacts of remittances in Bangladesh: The role of reverse flows," Economic Notes, Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena SpA, vol. 48(3), November.
    6. Sobiech, Izabela, 2019. "Remittances, finance and growth: Does financial development foster the impact of remittances on economic growth?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 44-59.
    7. Daniel Garrote-Sanchez, 2017. "International Labor Mobility of Nationals," World Bank Publications - Reports 30268, The World Bank Group.
    8. Barajas, Adolfo & Chami, Ralph & Ebeke, Christian & Oeking, Anne, 2018. "What's different about monetary policy transmission in remittance-dependent countries?," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 272-288.
    9. Agradi, Mawunyo, 2023. "Does remittance inflow influence energy poverty?," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 335(C).
    10. Schneider, Friedrich & Khan, Shabeer & Baharom Abdul Hamid & Khan, Abidullah, 2019. "Does the tax undermine the effect of remittances on shadow economy?," Economics Discussion Papers 2019-67, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    11. David McKenzie & Dean Yang, 2015. "Evidence on Policies to Increase the Development Impacts of International Migration," The World Bank Research Observer, World Bank, vol. 30(2), pages 155-192.
    12. World Bank Group, 2015. "Labor Migration and Welfare in the Kyrgyz Republic (2008-2013)," World Bank Publications - Reports 22960, The World Bank Group.
    13. Michael A. Clemens & Timothy N. Ogden, 2020. "Migration and household finances: How a different framing can improve thinking about migration," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 38(1), pages 3-27, January.
    14. Baarsch, Florent & Granadillos, Jessie R. & Hare, William & Knaus, Maria & Krapp, Mario & Schaeffer, Michiel & Lotze-Campen, Hermann, 2020. "The impact of climate change on incomes and convergence in Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    15. World Bank Group, 2015. "Global Economic Prospects, January 2015 : Having Fiscal Space and Using It," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 20758.
    16. Williams, Kevin, 2017. "Do remittances improve political institutions? Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 65-75.
    17. Song, Jacques Simon & Yamben, Michel Freddy Harry & Atanga, Donald Ferdinand Okere, 2024. "Security fragility in developing countries: Do ICT matter?," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 259-280.
    18. Ambrosius, Christian, 2019. "Government reactions to private substitutes for public goods: Remittances and the crowding-out of public finance," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 47(2), pages 396-415.
    19. Combes, Jean-Louis & Kinda, Tidiane & Ouedraogo, Rasmané & Plane, Patrick, 2019. "Financial flows and economic growth in developing countries," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 195-209.
    20. Bożena, Chrząstowska, 2019. "Labour Migration and Remittances in Eurasia," MPRA Paper 106628, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2019.
    21. Williams, Kevin, 2024. "Remittances and government expenditures on human capital in developing countries," International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    22. Anca Mehedintu & Georgeta Soava & Mihaela Sterpu, 2019. "Remittances, Migration and Gross Domestic Product from Romania’s Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-19, December.
    23. Dinarte Diaz,Lelys Ileana & Jaume,David Jose & Medina-Cortina,Eduardo & Winkler,Hernan, 2022. "Neither by Land nor by Sea : The Rise of Electronic Remittances during COVID-19," Policy Research Working Paper Series 10057, The World Bank.
    24. King, Alan & Ramlogan-Dobson, Carlyn, 2015. "Is Africa Actually Developing?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 598-613.

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