Role of External and Domestic Demand in Economic Growth: A Study of BRICS Countries

Abstract

Despite the global downturn since 2008, the growth in BRICS countries as a group is least hampered as compared to the growth in the world, in general, and developed countries, in particular. Is it due to the strong domestic demand factors or external factors is an empirical question to be answered. Further, some economists are promulgating for a new development strategy of domestic demand-led growth. Hence, this article tries to examine the role of domestic and external demand to growth in BRICS countries. Domestic investment is taken to explore the impact of domestic demand on growth, while export and import variables are used to investigate the role of external demand in economic growth. To cater to the objective, causality analysis is done among exports, imports, domestic investment and economic growth using the vector auto regression analysis. Generalized impulse response functions are plotted to get an insight of dynamic interrelationships among these variables. The results are country-specific and mixed evidence of export-led and domestic demand-led growth is found depending on the individual countries of BRICS.