O FIO DO NAVALHA DE HARROD E A RESPOSTA DA ESCOLA DE CAMBRIDGE

Abstract

This paper attempts to discuss Harrod's growth model as an inspiration for the appearance of the first generafion post-keynesian growth and income distribution models (basically Robinson and Kaldor theories) and also study these models in the light of what was known in the literature as a Hanod's knife edge. After analyzing Harrod's model, in the following sections we study Robinson's and Kaldor's models, respectively. Both criticize Harrod's theory due to his failure in dealing explicitly with profit rate and income distribution. These criticisms are based on the rejection of the knife edge, i.e., that there was only one warranted rate. Robinson's and Kaldor's answer was that existed several saving rates related to diferent social classes. Thus, the problem of a single warranted rate vanished. In the final section, a short comparison of Robinson's and Kaldor's ideas is discussed.