Germinal G. Van | The George Washington University (original) (raw)

Papers by Germinal G. Van

The purpose of this paper is to offer a new theoretical framework in the field of development eco... more The purpose of this paper is to offer a new theoretical framework in the field of development economics. This new theoretical framework has not yet been explored in development economics. Most economic theories seek to predict an outcome. The particularity of this theory that is being proposed in this paper, is not to predict a specific outcome about an economy. It is rather a methodology to explain an economic outcome. This new theory being introduced in the field of development economics is called the Public Choice Growth Model (PCGM), which is an economic theory that combines the principles of public choice theory and that of the Solow Growth Model. The goal of this theory though is to demonstrate that our model is the adequate model to be used in a developing country in order to determine long-term economic growth.

The purpose of this paper is to offer a new theoretical framework in the field of development eco... more The purpose of this paper is to offer a new theoretical framework in the field of development economics. This new theoretical framework has not yet been explored in development economics. Most economic theories seek to predict an outcome. The particularity of this theory that is being proposed in this paper, is not to predict a specific outcome about an economy. It is rather a methodology to explain an economic outcome. This new theory being introduced in the field of development economics is called the Public Choice Growth Model (PCGM), which is an economic theory that combines the principles of public choice theory and that of the Solow Growth Model. The goal of this theory though, is to demonstrate that our model is the adequate model to be used in a developing country in order to determine long-term economic growth.

The coronavirus has deleteriously affected a great majority of countries in the world. Developed ... more The coronavirus has deleteriously affected a great majority of countries in the world. Developed societies such as the United States and the majority of Western countries have had the highest rates of mortality because of the pandemic. Sub-Saharan Africa, on the other hand, has been the continent where the pandemic has not done excessive damages. Africa's GDP growth did not significantly decrease compared with the other continents. Consequently, the purpose of this paper is to model and forecast economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa in the post-COVID era and to examine the factors that are part of the growth process of the continent. To appropriately develop an econometric model of the economic growth of Sub-Saharan Africa in the post-COVID era, we decided to use the time-series data. This time-series data will be the dataset used to develop the statistical model that will enable us to forecast the economic growth of the continent in the post-COVID era.

University Library of Munich, Germany, Jul 7, 2020

The purpose of this paper is to establish a positive correlation between property rights and econ... more The purpose of this paper is to establish a positive correlation between property rights and economic freedom. It seeks to demonstrate that property rights lead to economic freedom. From a purely theoretical perspective, it has been assumed that greater access to property rights leads to economic freedom, consequently to a sustainable economic growth. To establish this correlation in the case of Africa, we applied the use of statistical tools to substantiate the validity of our economic theory. We mainly used a simple linear regression to ascertain our hypothesis.

Journal of Economics and Econometrics, 2021

The purpose of this paper is to establish a positive correlation between property rights and econ... more The purpose of this paper is to establish a positive correlation between property rights and economic freedom. It seeks to demonstrate that property rights lead to economic freedom. From a purely theoretical perspective, it has been assumed that greater access to property rights leads to economic freedom, consequently to sustainable economic growth. To establish this correlation in the case of Africa, we applied the use of statistical tools to substantiate the validity of our economic theory. We mainly used a simple linear regression to ascertain our hypothesis.

Germinal G. Van & Emilio Barbosa Valdiosera, 2021

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the impact of the newly developed COVID vaccine on death ... more The purpose of this paper is to analyze the impact of the newly developed COVID vaccine on death rates related to COVID-19. When developing this vaccine, scientists from different pharmaceutical and biotechnological companies such as Pfizer and Moderna contended that their vaccine was more than 90% effective (95% for Pfizer and 94.1% for Moderna) and that it will prevent severe illness, hospitalization, and death. However, in the light of them releasing their methodology, we realized that the 95% efficacy claim was not entirely accurate, which motivated us to conduct further research on the effectiveness of the vaccines based on real-world observations. In evaluating the various objectives of the vaccine, we decided to focus our study on the relationship between the vaccine and COVID death rates. We were therefore interested in testing the impact of the vaccine on COVID death rates in two states, precisely in California and Illinois since both states have one of the highest vaccination rates in the nation. Our findings show that although the relationship is statistically significant as COVID death rates have been decreasing, the vaccine is not responsible for singlehandedly reducing these death rates. Our statistical results led us to conclude that COVID vaccines were not effective enough to unilaterally prevent COVID deaths from occurring despite their high rates of efficacy.

Germinal G. Van, 2021

The purpose of this essay is to explain how the cost of maintaining the welfare state does not pr... more The purpose of this essay is to explain how the cost of maintaining the welfare state does not produce the results intended in addition to creating an economic burden on the taxpayer from which he does not obtain any significant benefit. By cost, I do not merely imply monetary cost, but also a social cost. The welfare state exists in almost every advanced economy whether it is in Canada, France, the United Kingdom, Australia, or Germany. However, the analysis of this essay focuses on the welfare system of the United States since it is the country in which I reside.

Hence, this essay argues about how the welfare state could be dismantled by a gradual approach rather than an abrupt and revolutionary approach. To elucidate how the welfare state could be dismantled gradually rather than abruptly, I proceeded with the inductive method by first analyzing the historical and statistical evidence related to the welfare state, then developed a hypothetical scenario of the dismantlement of the welfare state.

Equilibrium in the Production process of a Two-Sector Model of the New Economy, 2021

The purpose of this paper is to provide a mathematical framework to investigate the method throug... more The purpose of this paper is to provide a mathematical framework to investigate the method through which an equilibrium is met between two economic sectors. The equilibrium process being discussed in this paper focuses essentially on the production process of the goods and services in each sector within an economy that has been affected by COVID-19. This mathematical model helps explaining how two economic sectors reach an equilibrium when their production methods are significantly different and when they do not produce at the same pace. This paper is purely theoretical and does not concern itself with empirical verification.

This paper has two purposes. First, it seeks to elucidate the structure of the current political ... more This paper has two purposes. First, it seeks to elucidate the structure of the current political system of Côte d’Ivoire, which is a presidential regime. Second, this paper aims to propose a mathematical model that could be a viable alternative to the presidential regime, which has created many socio-political conflicts in the country. The mathematical model proposed to replace the current system is not a prediction model. It is a model that explains the structure of the proposed system and how this new political system can, not only limit the powers of the executive branch but also maintain socio-political stability.

Germinal G. Van, 2020

The coronavirus has deleteriously affected a great majority of countries in the world. Developed ... more The coronavirus has deleteriously affected a great majority of countries in the world. Developed societies such as the United States and the majority of Western countries have had the highest rates of mortality because of the pandemic. Sub-Saharan Africa, on the other hand, has been the continent where the pandemic has not done excessive damages. Africa’s GDP growth did not significantly decrease compared with the other continents. Consequently, the purpose of this paper is to model and forecast economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa in the post-COVID era and to examine the factors that are part of the growth process of the continent. To appropriately develop an econometric model of the economic growth of Sub-Saharan Africa in the post-COVID era, we decided to use the time-series data. This time-series data will be the dataset used to develop the statistical model that will enable us to forecast the economic growth of the continent in the post-COVID era.

The Indian textile industry was one of the most important industries in the world during the 19th... more The Indian textile industry was one of the most important industries in the world during the 19th century. Large quantities of Indian textile were exported to England and other countries across the borders. However, when these exports grew via the East Indian Company, workers were exploited and a shift of competitive advantage took place. This led to a huge difference between the living standards of that of Europe and Asia. From a purely theoretical perspective, it has been assumed that under the British raj Indian textile industry suffered.

Germinal G. Van, 2020

The purpose of this paper is to explain the effect that economic sectors exert on the national in... more The purpose of this paper is to explain the effect that economic sectors exert on the national income of West African countries during the last decade. Since the post-colonial era, agriculture has been the primary and the predominant sector of West African economies. However, since the late 1990s and early 2000s, through various observational data, we could perceive that the manufacturing and services sectors began to bring a broader contribution to the economic production of West African countries. Through the use of a multiple regression analysis, this paper aims to explain the correlation and impact that each of these sectors exercises on the national income of the sixteen countries that encapsulate the West African region.

Germinal G. Van, 2020

The purpose of this paper is to establish a positive correlation between property rights and econ... more The purpose of this paper is to establish a positive correlation between property rights and economic freedom. It seeks to demonstrate that property rights lead to economic freedom. From a purely theoretical perspective, it has been assumed that greater access to property rights leads to economic freedom, consequently to sustainable economic growth. To establish this correlation in the case of Africa, we applied the use of statistical tools to substantiate the validity of our economic theory. We mainly used a simple linear regression to ascertain our hypothesis.

The functioning of the labor supply in Africa is substantially different from the one in develope... more The functioning of the labor supply in Africa is substantially different from the one in developed countries. Most African economies remain heavily agricultural, which means that their economy is primarily based on the exportation and importation of commodities. However, an economy based on natural resources and the use of commodities generate a stagnated labor supply in the long run. Labor supply, however, expands more consistently in an economy that is based on human resources. This paper has two purposes. The first objective is to theoretically demonstrate how relying on natural resources as the primary basis of economic development could hamper the expansion of labor supply in an economy which is in the midst of structural transformation. The second objective is to substantiate that human resources as the primary basis of economic development, enable the expansion of labor supply whether it is in an open or a close economy.

The purpose of this article is to expound the correlation between the rule of law and economic gr... more The purpose of this article is to expound the correlation between the rule of law and economic growth in Africa. The central argument of this paper is to establish that economic growth cannot take place in a society that does not have a democratized political process. By a “democratized political process,” we mean a political process governed by the rule of law rather than rent-seeking. We argue in this paper that the rule of law is the fundamental element to ascertain economic growth within a society that is still in the process of economic transformation.

This paper investigates the various factors that substantively contribute to the development of h... more This paper investigates the various factors that substantively contribute to the development of human capital in West Africa. Human capital is the primary endogenous factor that directly impacts the process of economic growth. Human activity is the first form of tool that directly correlates with the development of capital and economic activity within a society. West Africa is the second-most populated region in Africa after Eastern Africa, with an average population of about 400 million people, and the youngest population with an average age of 18.2 years. Consequently, it is clear that West Africa possesses the human capital it needs to enhance its economic development. Our purpose in this paper is to comprehend and assess the mechanisms by which human capital contributes to the economic development of a developing society like West Africa.

The purpose of this paper is to assess and elucidate from an economic standpoint, the fundamental... more The purpose of this paper is to assess and elucidate from an economic standpoint, the fundamental factors that constitute poverty in West Africa. West Africa is the second-most populated region of the African continent after Eastern Africa, with a promising future to economic future. Yet poverty remains a serious contention within the economic development of the subregion.
The lack of clean water, education, and infrastructure are some of the major reasons why West Africa is still economically lagging despite the occurrence of some significant progress since the post-colonial era. This paper seeks to analyze what are the major reasons for which poverty remains significant in West Africa and how it could be possibly curbed.

The purpose of this paper is to offer a new theoretical framework in the field of development eco... more The purpose of this paper is to offer a new theoretical framework in the field of development economics. This new theoretical framework has not yet been explored in development economics. Most economic theories seek to predict an outcome. The particularity of this theory that is being proposed in this paper, is not to predict a specific outcome about an economy. It is rather a methodology to explain an economic outcome. This new theory being introduced in the field of development economics is called the Public Choice Growth Model (PCGM), which is an economic theory that combines the principles of public choice theory and that of the Solow Growth Model. The goal of this theory though, is to demonstrate that our model is the adequate model to be used in a developing country in order to determine long-term economic growth.

University Library of Munich, Germany, Jul 7, 2020

Journal of Economics and Econometrics, 2021

The purpose of this paper is to establish a positive correlation between property rights and econ... more The purpose of this paper is to establish a positive correlation between property rights and economic freedom. It seeks to demonstrate that property rights lead to economic freedom. From a purely theoretical perspective, it has been assumed that greater access to property rights leads to economic freedom, consequently to sustainable economic growth. To establish this correlation in the case of Africa, we applied the use of statistical tools to substantiate the validity of our economic theory. We mainly used a simple linear regression to ascertain our hypothesis.

Germinal G. Van & Emilio Barbosa Valdiosera, 2021

Germinal G. Van, 2021

Equilibrium in the Production process of a Two-Sector Model of the New Economy, 2021

Germinal G. Van, 2020

The coronavirus has deleteriously affected a great majority of countries in the world. Developed ... more The coronavirus has deleteriously affected a great majority of countries in the world. Developed societies such as the United States and the majority of Western countries have had the highest rates of mortality because of the pandemic. Sub-Saharan Africa, on the other hand, has been the continent where the pandemic has not done excessive damages. Africa’s GDP growth did not significantly decrease compared with the other continents. Consequently, the purpose of this paper is to model and forecast economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa in the post-COVID era and to examine the factors that are part of the growth process of the continent. To appropriately develop an econometric model of the economic growth of Sub-Saharan Africa in the post-COVID era, we decided to use the time-series data. This time-series data will be the dataset used to develop the statistical model that will enable us to forecast the economic growth of the continent in the post-COVID era.

Germinal G. Van, 2020

The purpose of this paper is to establish a positive correlation between property rights and econ... more The purpose of this paper is to establish a positive correlation between property rights and economic freedom. It seeks to demonstrate that property rights lead to economic freedom. From a purely theoretical perspective, it has been assumed that greater access to property rights leads to economic freedom, consequently to sustainable economic growth. To establish this correlation in the case of Africa, we applied the use of statistical tools to substantiate the validity of our economic theory. We mainly used a simple linear regression to ascertain our hypothesis.