Demand-led growth and functional income distribution in Brazil from 1952 to 2017

Abstract This work aims to investigate the effect of changes in functional income distribution on growth in Brazil from 1952 to 2017. Following the neo-Kaleckian and Supermultiplier growth and distribution theories, it is possible to obtain two types of such effects. First, a level effect, predicted by both models, establishes a direct relationship of the wage share on the level of output through changes in the components of aggregate demand. Secondly, a growth effect occurs only in the neo-Kaleckian models and is the causal relationship between the wage share and output growth through the rate of capital accumulation. We analyzed the presence of these two effects in the empirical literature and found no evidence of a long run growth regime through capital accumulation as would be expected in the neo-Kaleckian model. However, we find empirical evidence that investment is an induced component of demand as is expected in the Supermultiplier model.