Elise Brezis
Encyclopedia
Elise S. Brezis, professor of Economics at Bar-Ilan University
, is currently the director of the Azrieli Center for Economic Policy. She previously was the head of the Statistics division at the Research Department in the Bank of Israel
, and from 1999 to 2003, she was the President of the Israeli Association for the Study of European Integration. She holds a PhD in Economics from MIT (1989). She has published articles in leading journals as the American Economic Review and the European Economic Review; in the Oxford Encyclopedia as well as in the New Palgrave.
Elise S. Brezis is French in her education, Jewish in her values, and Israeli by choice. She is an economist who combines the ivory tower writing of academia with economic policy and pragmatic economics. Her comparative advantage is in the mix of analyzing real life, economic history, and macroeconomics. Brezis's values of anti-conformism have had a significant influence on her research. Her first works in economic history were on 18th century England and are where she developed the data on the balance of payment of the UK, data that did not exist before.
Her research interests are related to economic growth. Her main works are in two fields: the first is the interaction between sociology
and economics
emphasizing the stratification of society and focusing on the elites; the second is technology, demography and economic growth. In the former, she has been on the forefront of research in the field of Elite
s. In the latter, her most cited work dealing with technology and growth on leapfrogging in international competition, a paper on the theory of cycles in national technological leadership that she worked on with Paul Krugman
, published in the American Economic Review
in 1993. She is also a fellow at the Minerva Center for Growth in Jerusalem and serves on the editorial board of Cliometrica.
Brezis's book examines the relationship between elites, minorities, and economic growth. The novelty of the book lies in its focus on the interaction between social and economic changes during economic growth.
2. On government policy towards technological development, Brezis argues that the method used for financing projects is too conservative: Peer review mechanism has a clear bias against innovative ideas. In consequence, proposals for new ideas are too often rejected. Brezis proposes to adopt a Focal Randomization mechanism.
3. Brezis and Warren Young have studied together the new views on demographic transition
, in which they reassess Malthus and Marx’s approach to population. Their paper examines the divergence of views of Marx and Malthus regarding the family and the labor market. In short, children of developing countries are a necessity so they can not be seen as a consumption good.
, North Holland, Elsevier
, 1999
"The Role of Higher Education Institutions: Recruitment of Elites and Economic Growth" (with Francois Crouzet) in T. Eicher, eds. Institutions and Economic Growth, MIT Press
, 2006:191-213.
"Elites and Economic Outcomes" in S. Durlauf and L. Blume, eds. New Palgrave Dictionary of Economics. 2008.
“Changes in the Training of the Power Elites in Western Europe”, ed. with F. Crouzet, The Journal of European Economic History. 2004.
and Daniel Tsiddon), American Economic Review
, December 1993, pp. 1211 1219.
"Technology and Life Cycle of Cities"(with Paul Krugman
), Journal of Economic Growth, December 1997, pp. 369-383.
“Focal Randomization: An optimal Mechanism for the Evaluation of R&D projects", Science and Public Policy, December 2007, 34(9).
"Immigration, Investments and Growth" (with Paul Krugman
), Journal of Population Economics, 9, 1996, pp. 83 93. http://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/jopoec/v9y1996i1p83-93.html
"Social Classes, Demographic Transition and Economic Growth", European Economic Review, 2001, 45: 707-717.
"The New views on Demographic Transition: A Reassessment of Malthus's and Marx's Approach to Population" (with Warren Young), European Journal of Economic Thought, 2003, 10: 25-45.
"Can Demographic Transition only be Explained by Altruistic and Neo-Malthusian Models?", Journal of Socio-Economics, 2009.
“The Role of Assignats during the French Revolution: Evil or Rescuer?” (with Francois Crouzet), Journal of European Economic History, April 1995, pp.7‑40.
“Did Foreign Capital Flows Finance the Industrial Revolution? A reply”, Economic History Review, February 1997
"Mercantilism" Oxford Encyclopedia of Economic History, Oxford University Press
, 2003, vol. 3, pp. 482-85.
“Why are the Transition Paths in China and Eastern Europe Different? A Political Economy Perspective” (with Adi Schnytzer), Economics of Transition, 2003, 11:3-23.
“Political Institutions and Economic Reforms in Central and Eastern Europe: A Snowball Effect” (with Thierry Verdier) Economic Systems, 2003, 27:289-311.
Bar-Ilan University
Bar-Ilan University is a university in Ramat Gan of the Tel Aviv District, Israel.Established in 1955, Bar Ilan is now Israel's second-largest academic institution. It has nearly 26,800 students and 1,350 faculty members...
, is currently the director of the Azrieli Center for Economic Policy. She previously was the head of the Statistics division at the Research Department in the Bank of Israel
Bank of Israel
The Bank of Israel is the central bank of Israel. It is located in Kiryat HaMemshala in Israel's capital city of Jerusalem, with a branch office in Tel Aviv. The current governor is Stanley Fischer.-History:...
, and from 1999 to 2003, she was the President of the Israeli Association for the Study of European Integration. She holds a PhD in Economics from MIT (1989). She has published articles in leading journals as the American Economic Review and the European Economic Review; in the Oxford Encyclopedia as well as in the New Palgrave.
Elise S. Brezis is French in her education, Jewish in her values, and Israeli by choice. She is an economist who combines the ivory tower writing of academia with economic policy and pragmatic economics. Her comparative advantage is in the mix of analyzing real life, economic history, and macroeconomics. Brezis's values of anti-conformism have had a significant influence on her research. Her first works in economic history were on 18th century England and are where she developed the data on the balance of payment of the UK, data that did not exist before.
Her research interests are related to economic growth. Her main works are in two fields: the first is the interaction between sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
and economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
emphasizing the stratification of society and focusing on the elites; the second is technology, demography and economic growth. In the former, she has been on the forefront of research in the field of Elite
Elite
Elite refers to an exceptional or privileged group that wields considerable power within its sphere of influence...
s. In the latter, her most cited work dealing with technology and growth on leapfrogging in international competition, a paper on the theory of cycles in national technological leadership that she worked on with Paul Krugman
Paul Krugman
Paul Robin Krugman is an American economist, professor of Economics and International Affairs at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University, Centenary Professor at the London School of Economics, and an op-ed columnist for The New York Times...
, published in the American Economic Review
American Economic Review
The American Economic Review is a peer-reviewed academic journal of economics publishing seven issues annually by the American Economic Association. First published in 1911, it is considered one of the most prestigious journals in the field. The current editor-in-chief is Penny Goldberg . The...
in 1993. She is also a fellow at the Minerva Center for Growth in Jerusalem and serves on the editorial board of Cliometrica.
Elites and Economics
Elise Brezis examines the evolution of recruitment of elites and investigates the nature of the links between recruitment of elites and economic growth. The main change that occurred in the way the Western world recruited its elites is that meritocracy became the basis for their recruitment. Although meritocratic selection should result in the best being chosen, she shows that meritocratic recruitment actually leads to class stratification and auto-recruitment.Brezis's book examines the relationship between elites, minorities, and economic growth. The novelty of the book lies in its focus on the interaction between social and economic changes during economic growth.
Technology and Economic Growth
1. In Brezis's work with Krugman, they emphasized that endogenous-growth theory suggests that technological change tends to reinforce the position of the leading nations. Yet sometimes this leadership role shifts. They suggest a mechanism that explains this pattern of 'leapfrogging' as a response to occasional major changes in technology.2. On government policy towards technological development, Brezis argues that the method used for financing projects is too conservative: Peer review mechanism has a clear bias against innovative ideas. In consequence, proposals for new ideas are too often rejected. Brezis proposes to adopt a Focal Randomization mechanism.
3. Brezis and Warren Young have studied together the new views on demographic transition
Demographic transition
The demographic transition model is the transition from high birth and death rates to low birth and death rates as a country develops from a pre-industrial to an industrialized economic system. The theory is based on an interpretation of demographic history developed in 1929 by the American...
, in which they reassess Malthus and Marx’s approach to population. Their paper examines the divergence of views of Marx and Malthus regarding the family and the labor market. In short, children of developing countries are a necessity so they can not be seen as a consumption good.
Economics of Transition
Brezis has examined the transition process that took place in Eastern Europe. She analyzes why the transition process is different in Eastern Europe and in Asia, and shows that the main difference between Eastern Europe who has turned to democracy to China which is still non-democratic is the relationship between economic and political structures. Moreover, looking at the history of the transition process, it is striking that the historical path in Eastern Europe was dominated by its geographic situation. Her research explain why geography matters and present a structure that makes a relationship between geography and transition.Elites
"Elites, Minorities and Economic Growth", ed. with Peter TeminPeter Temin
Dr. Peter Temin is a widely cited economist and economic historian, currently Gray Professor Emeritus of Economics, MIT and former head of the Economics Department....
, North Holland, Elsevier
Elsevier
Elsevier is a publishing company which publishes medical and scientific literature. It is a part of the Reed Elsevier group. Based in Amsterdam, the company has operations in the United Kingdom, USA and elsewhere....
, 1999
"The Role of Higher Education Institutions: Recruitment of Elites and Economic Growth" (with Francois Crouzet) in T. Eicher, eds. Institutions and Economic Growth, MIT Press
MIT Press
The MIT Press is a university press affiliated with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts .-History:...
, 2006:191-213.
"Elites and Economic Outcomes" in S. Durlauf and L. Blume, eds. New Palgrave Dictionary of Economics. 2008.
“Changes in the Training of the Power Elites in Western Europe”, ed. with F. Crouzet, The Journal of European Economic History. 2004.
Technology, Demography and Growth
"Leapfrogging in International Competition: A Theory of Cycles in National Technological Leadership." (with Paul KrugmanPaul Krugman
Paul Robin Krugman is an American economist, professor of Economics and International Affairs at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University, Centenary Professor at the London School of Economics, and an op-ed columnist for The New York Times...
and Daniel Tsiddon), American Economic Review
American Economic Review
The American Economic Review is a peer-reviewed academic journal of economics publishing seven issues annually by the American Economic Association. First published in 1911, it is considered one of the most prestigious journals in the field. The current editor-in-chief is Penny Goldberg . The...
, December 1993, pp. 1211 1219.
"Technology and Life Cycle of Cities"(with Paul Krugman
Paul Krugman
Paul Robin Krugman is an American economist, professor of Economics and International Affairs at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University, Centenary Professor at the London School of Economics, and an op-ed columnist for The New York Times...
), Journal of Economic Growth, December 1997, pp. 369-383.
“Focal Randomization: An optimal Mechanism for the Evaluation of R&D projects", Science and Public Policy, December 2007, 34(9).
"Immigration, Investments and Growth" (with Paul Krugman
Paul Krugman
Paul Robin Krugman is an American economist, professor of Economics and International Affairs at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University, Centenary Professor at the London School of Economics, and an op-ed columnist for The New York Times...
), Journal of Population Economics, 9, 1996, pp. 83 93. http://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/jopoec/v9y1996i1p83-93.html
"Social Classes, Demographic Transition and Economic Growth", European Economic Review, 2001, 45: 707-717.
"The New views on Demographic Transition: A Reassessment of Malthus's and Marx's Approach to Population" (with Warren Young), European Journal of Economic Thought, 2003, 10: 25-45.
"Can Demographic Transition only be Explained by Altruistic and Neo-Malthusian Models?", Journal of Socio-Economics, 2009.
Economic History and Economics of Transition
"Britain's Balance of Payments in the Century before Waterloo: New Estimates, Controlled Conjectures", Economic History Review, February 1995, pp. 46 67.“The Role of Assignats during the French Revolution: Evil or Rescuer?” (with Francois Crouzet), Journal of European Economic History, April 1995, pp.7‑40.
“Did Foreign Capital Flows Finance the Industrial Revolution? A reply”, Economic History Review, February 1997
"Mercantilism" Oxford Encyclopedia of Economic History, Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press is the largest university press in the world. It is a department of the University of Oxford and is governed by a group of 15 academics appointed by the Vice-Chancellor known as the Delegates of the Press. They are headed by the Secretary to the Delegates, who serves as...
, 2003, vol. 3, pp. 482-85.
“Why are the Transition Paths in China and Eastern Europe Different? A Political Economy Perspective” (with Adi Schnytzer), Economics of Transition, 2003, 11:3-23.
“Political Institutions and Economic Reforms in Central and Eastern Europe: A Snowball Effect” (with Thierry Verdier) Economic Systems, 2003, 27:289-311.